NCEPOD: Trauma - Who Cares? - London Health Programmes

CHAPTER 9 - Paediatric careOrganisational dataInjury remains a leading cause of death in childhood. In theUK three million children present to emergency departmentseach year following injury. The majority of attendances atemergency departments are due to moderate or minorinjuries. The absolute numbers of severe injuries are low andthese patients present to a number of different hospitals.Therefore it is more diffi cult to maintain specifi c clinical skillsin the management of severe trauma in children.The injuries sustained by children differ from those of adultsand consequently there are signifi cant differences in theirpost-trauma management. In particular, the incidence ofhead trauma is more common in the paediatric population.The defi nitions of neonates, infants and children differedbetween hospitals. The maximum age of a neonate asdefi ned by the departments surveyed varied between 1 and24 months. The maximum age of infants varied from 12 to60 months. Two thirds of departments (110/183; 60.1%)Figure 45. Availability of an advanced paediatric life support provider resident or 24 hours a day100Number of sites9080706050403020HospitalA&E department100Yes, resident Yes, available Neither Not answeredFigure 46. Availability of paediatric specialties at hospitals that accept paediatric patients180Number of hospitals160140120100806040Yes No Not answered200Paediatric Anaesthetist Paediatrician Paediatric Surgeon112