Published: May 2024. Next review 2029.
The key principles support clinicians working in hospitals that don’t have a paediatric intensive care unit to safely care for, and manage, a high acuity child. This includes children awaiting retrieval to higher level care or who will remain as inpatients in the local facility, where appropriate.
When the principles are implemented with the support of tertiary specialist centres, they enable the child to be cared for closer to home, if it is safe and appropriate. Local sites should establish and implement governance structures and processes to support management of a high acuity child.
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Key principles
- A local clinical pathway is used to identify and manage a high acuity child.
- Appropriate local resources are identified to safely manage a high acuity child.
- Care is provided in an appropriate location.
- Clear escalation procedures are embedded in the local clinical pathway.
- Governance structures and processes are established to support the management of a high acuity child.
- A family-centred approach to care is used.
