NHS England is rolling out a national early warning system across accident and emergency departments in England this winter to help doctors and nurses spot seriously ill children more quickly.

The National Paediatric Early Warning System, known as PEWS, gives staff a standardised way of scoring a child's condition from routine observations, so that warning signs of deterioration are picked up earlier and urgent care can be given sooner.

The system is being introduced into all A&E departments nationwide, with the rollout due to be completed over the winter. NHS England said it would make PEWS the largest standardised scoring system of its kind in the world.

Under the system, staff regularly check and record a child's vital signs, including blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate and oxygen levels, and combine them into an overall score. A higher score means a child needs more urgent attention.

The children's version uses age-appropriate charts, reflecting the different normal ranges and clinical needs of babies, children and young people. It was designed specifically for the fast pace of emergency departments, where staff need to make rapid decisions.

More than 90 hospitals across England already use PEWS on paediatric inpatient wards. In those hospitals, the rate of cardiac arrests has been consistently lower, according to NHS data.

NHS England stressed that the system is not designed to replace professional judgement, or the input of parents, carers and children themselves. Even if a child's PEWS score is low, concerns raised by staff or families can still trigger an escalation of care, and parents and carers will be asked to share their concerns as part of the process.

Duncan Burton, England's chief nursing officer, said the rollout was an important next step in improving care for children and young people this winter and beyond. "In fast paced emergency departments, staff need to spot quickly when a child's condition is deteriorating," he said. "This standardised approach will help them recognise the warning signs, communicate concerns, and make timely decisions when every moment matters."

He added that the system also makes sure the concerns of children, parents and carers are heard and can prompt action.

More than six million children attend A&E departments in England each year. The rollout comes as NHS England has pledged to create new standards for children's treatment in A&E, including eliminating corridor care for children as a priority, according to Health and Social Care Secretary Yvette Cooper.

She said: "All of us want the reassurance of knowing that if a child is seriously ill, it will be spotted in time by the NHS and that's exactly what this new early warning system, developed by expert clinicians, is designed to do."

The programme was developed by NHS England in collaboration with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and the Royal College of Nursing. Resources including guidance and education for staff will be introduced to help emergency department teams prepare for and embed the system.

Professor Lynn Woolsey, the Royal College of Nursing's chief nursing officer, called the system a vital tool for nursing staff to identify problems quickly and act to keep young patients safe. She said it would be crucial to ensure there were enough nursing staff, with enough capacity and the necessary training and support, to spot deterioration and use the system effectively.

The system follows NHS England's recent introduction of Martha's Rule across all hospital departments, under which patients, families and staff can call for an urgent review if they are concerned that a child's condition is deteriorating and they are not being listened to.