Confirmed changes to children’s surgical services
The changes to both planned and emergency surgical care will affect a small number of young children (mostly under 3 years of age) who live in North Central London – covering Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey and Islington.
The decision follows an extensive public consultation undertaken last year by NCL ICB and NHS England Specialised Commissioning under the NCL Start Well Programme.
The consultation sought views from staff, families with experience of using these services and local residents on proposals to change the way some surgical services for young children are delivered. A further period of additional engagement activity was carried out during June and July this year, which focused specifically on an updated proposal for emergency surgery for young children.
- Be transferred from their local acute hospital to West London Children's Healthcare (St Mary's Hospital, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital) or The Royal London Hospital. These hospitals already provide specialist care for young children in North London who need emergency surgery.
- Be treated by exception at Great Ormond Street Hospital and UCLH for ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgery.
- Continue to attend Great Ormond Street Hospital for treatment if the children are medically and surgically complex or already under the care of the hospital, and also newborns (neonates).
Children should continue to access care at their local hospital emergency department, as they do now, and will only be transferred for emergency care at a specialist hospital, if clinically necessary.
- For planned inpatient surgery young children will receive their care at Great Ormond Street Hospital or UCLH
- Day case surgery for young children will take place at UCLH
For the majority of children’s surgery there will be no change to current arrangements, as Barnet Hospital, North Middlesex Hospital, Royal Free Hospital, UCLH and Whittington Health will continue to provide emergency surgery for children aged 5 years and over.
