Safe Delivery of Paediatric ENT Surgery in the UK: A National Strategy

11 July 2019

ENT UK in collaboration with the British Association for Paediatric Otolaryngology (BAPO), the Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) and the Association of Paediatric Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland (APAGBI) has created the Safe Delivery of Paediatric ENT Surgery in the UK: A National Strategy document.

This document has the support and endorsement of the profession and we consider that it should be used to shape the provision of paediatric ENT surgery.

In recent years there has been a significant change in UK practice of Paediatric ENT surgery with many more children being referred to tertiary centres. This strategy has a number of unintended consequences. Patients and families are travelling further for treatment, incurring both social and financial cost. Fewer procedures are being performed in secondary care centres, which can result in reduced confidence in dealing with both elective and emergency paediatric cases. Tertiary centres are now commonly being faced with a situation where they have no beds to accept specialist referrals as emergencies. Waiting lists are increasing in tertiary centres.

In 2018, Mr Brian Bingham, President of ENT UK, asked Mr Benjamin Hartley, President of the British Association for Paediatric Otolaryngology, to set up a working group, in association with the Royal College of Anaesthetists, to examine the need for onward referral or transfer and establish a National Strategy for Paediatric ENT Surgery in the UK.

Download Safe Delivery of Paediatric ENT Surgery in the UK: A National Strategy