Many children present at GP surgeries with debilitating symptoms with no obvious physical cause and are then referred to acute settings for investigation. Research with GPs suggests caring for this group of patients presents a significant challenge, however, the impact upon the range of hospital staff with whom they have contact has been little studied. This study aimed to explore perceptions and experiences of caring for children with medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS) and their families among the paediatric staff at one large UK hospital Trust. Data demonstrated staff awareness that children affected by MUPS have complex needs and the perception that those needs resulted in extra demands and anxieties, especially regarding time management, care protocols and communication. There was a clear desire by general paediatric staff for more information and training from psychiatric services to help them care for this group. Results also revealed staff perceptions of the quality of current MUPS care and suggestions as to how this could be improved.

Background:  Children with medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) represent a challenge for paediatricians and typically undergo extensive in‐patient investigations for symptoms such as abdominal pain. This can delay access to psychological services. This study aims to develop and evaluate a scale to assess the attitudes of paediatric staff to caring for children with MUS and to explore factors influencing those attitudes. Method:  In this cross‐sectional survey, 118 health professionals at one UK hospital with experience of caring for children with MUS completed an attitude questionnaire developed for the study. Results:  Factor analysis identified four factors that explained significant variance in staff perceptions of care: rewarding nature of care; demanding nature of care; parental influence; children’s need for skilled support. The combined subscales formed the MUS‐Q. Conclusion:  Paediatric staff found caring for children with MUS difficult and would welcome more support from CAMHS. The MUS‐Q proved a reliable tool to evaluate staff attitudes.

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