Welcome to Paediatric Critical Critical Care
We provide care for critically ill and injured infants and children who live in West Yorkshire and the Humber, and look after around 900 patients every year.
Most children who need intensive care come to us from other areas within Leeds Children’s Hospital such as wards, theatres or the Emergency Department.
Some children will need to be transferred from their local hospital or other specialist centres. Most of these will be brought to us by the Embrace Yorkshire and Humber Infant and Children’s Transport Service.
What we do
We look after infants, children and young people with a variety of problems such as:
- Congenital heart disease
- Infections
- Major trauma
- Breathing problems
- Neurological problems
- After chest, abdominal, spinal or airway surgery
- Liver and kidney problems, including transplantation
- Cancer
Some patients will be admitted as an emergency, and some after a planned procedure or operation. The majority of our children require support for their breathing, and some will need additional help. Around 400 children every year are admitted following open heart surgery and we have the facility to use full heart and lung support (ECMO) if required after heart surgery.
We have a well-established link with Martin House Children’s Hospice and have developed more recent links with other hospices in Yorkshire.
Paediatric Intensive Care is provided entirely at the Leeds Children’s Hospital, having centralized on one site in 2013.
Around 150 children every year will need to be transferred in to us acutely from their local district general hospital – most of these will be brought to us by Embrace Transport Service.
Meet the team
Children’s critical care has an extensive multi-disciplinary team which means that we can offer specialist care to children with a wide range of conditions. We work closely with our paediatric colleagues in other specialties which include cardiothoracic surgery, cardiology, respiratory and long term ventilation, neurology and neurosurgery, general surgery, ear nose and throat (ENT) surgery, orthopaedic surgery, nephrology, hepatology and oncology. We are also able to access the neonatal and adult specialties for consultation when appropriate.
Many senior staff have their own special areas of interest, collaborating nationally and internationally to share good practice and ensuring that we provide the highest quality of care for our patients.
We have a team of around 120 nurses working in Critical Care, many of whom have special interests including: education, infection prevention, dialysis and organ donation.
We rely on the expertise of our ward pharmacists, physiotherapists, dietitians and other allied health professionals who contribute to patient care.
Other information
Research
Children’s Critical Care (PICU) contributes to the Paediatric Intensive Care Audit Network (PICANet). PICANet collects information on all children in the UK who are admitted to a PICU. The information that we collect for PICANet is helping to find out the best ways to treat and care for children who are critically ill, so that intensive care services can be better planned for and provided.
Parents and carers of patients admitted to Children’s Critical Care may be approached regarding research studies. Most of the studies we are involved in are national multi-centre studies. These studies will have ethical approval and are being carried out in other PICUs around the UK. Their aim is to improve the evidence base that informs best practice in terms of caring for children who require admission to PICU.
If your child meets the criteria to be included in a study then you will be given some information about the study. It is entirely your decision whether your child takes part in any study. Your decision will not affect your child’s care in any other way.
Useful links
Families of children with heart conditions may be eligible for support from Children’s Heart Surgery Fund
We have developed close working relationships with Martin House Children’s Hospice to provide the best care for children and young people with life limiting illnesses.
Embrace Yorkshire and Humber Infant and Children’s Transport Service provide a Yorkshire wide patient transport service for critically ill infants and children.
Family accommodation at Eckersley House can be available for families spending time on Critical Care.
Contact information
How to find us
Ward L47, D Floor,
Clarendon Wing,
Leeds Children’s Hospital
Contact us
Children’s Critical Care (PICU) direct line – 01133927447, 01133926891
PA to Consultant Paediatric Intensivists direct line – 01133923332