More than 150 children from region receive emergency care in Sheffield through COVID scheme

Since April Sheffield Children’s has been carrying out emergency surgery for neighbouring hospitals, to allow other trusts to focus on their pandemic response.  More than 150 children have been successfully cared for through this scheme, with excellent feedback from patients and families.​

This temporary change was made to protect the quality of services for children across South Yorkshire, Bassetlaw and Chesterfield during the pandemic, helping provide specialist emergency care to young people and relieve pressure on other nearby hospitals. You can read the story back in April here.

Recognising the change this may mean for families travelling further than usual, the NHS has provided taxis for any carers who don’t have transport of their own, and none of the patients or their families who have responded have raised any concerns about having to travel to Sheffield.

South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw’s NHS leaders have now agreed that it is a safe time to start to step-down the interim children’s emergency surgery pathway. This means that the District General hospitals will resume undertaking the children’s surgery as they were pre-COVID-19. The restarting of the activity will be phased to ensure safety standards can be met and carefully managed to ensure clinical safety of all patients during the transition process.

If there are any new significant increases in COVID-19 cases in South Yorkshire, Bassetlaw and Chesterfield, leaders are clear that they would consider restating the interim model.

Here are a few comments from patients and their families about the care their received in Sheffield through the scheme:

• “Really smooth process.  Medication was there as soon as they were due to leave.  Felt overwhelmed by how lovely they all were”.
• “Outstanding staff couldn’t have wished for anything better”.
• “On arrival, went straight to ward and were expected.  Lovely staff, very nice environment.  Felt valued and reassured”.
• “Facilities were brilliant couldn’t thank enough.  General care was amazing and communication was very good”.
• “Amazing welcome, appropriate communication and child friendly.  Seen straight away. Really good and welcoming made you feel at home”.​

This process was put in place as part of the partnership work in the region through Health and Care Working Together, the South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Integrated Care System (ICS).

Sheffield Children’s continues to work to support patients and families across South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw and nationally through many dedicated specialist services. You can find out more about Sheffield Children’s here: https://www.sheffieldchildrens.nhs.uk/