A response to the British Paediatric Association report on paediatric intensive care services

Measuring the outcome of paediatric intensive care

This paper describes the background to the publication of the paediatric intensive care framework (NHS Executive 1997a) and sets out the case for outcome assessment of paediatric intensive care. Issues relating to mortality and morbidity assessment are discussed and several assessment tools are outlined. It is proposed that functional and psychological outcome assessments are important indicators of the quality of health care provision.

A strategy for development of paediatric intensive care within the United Kingdom

Paediatric intensive care (PIC) in the UK is currently fragmented and poorly organised, and changes to Trust status and the competitive marketplace may increase this tendency. This article contains an exploration of the rationale for providing PIC in dedicated units, and draws on recent reports by the British Paediatric Association (1993) and the National Health Service Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (1994) to propose a national strategy for the development of supra-regional PICUs.