North West Paediatric Critical Care Operational Delivery Network

About the Paediatric Critical Care ODN

The North West Paediatric Critical Care (PCC) Operational Delivery Network’s (ODN) vision is that the care of children requiring paediatric critical care in the North West of England, North Wales and the Isle of Man will act as a system so that all children within the geographical ODN footprint will receive high quality, equitable care, and good outcomes whichever part of the geographical region they are from. Children will be able to access critical care services as close to home and as safely as possible.

The PCC ODN works within the same geographic footprint as the North West Neonatal, Surgery in Children, Long Term Ventilation and Children’s Major Trauma ODN’s. In addition, it shares footprints with the Lancashire and South Cumbria, Greater Manchester and Cheshire and Mersey Adult Critical Care and Major Trauma Networks.

Within the footprint there are 25 hospitals providing paediatric care including 2 tertiary centres. Level 3 care is commissioned by NHSE North West Specialised Commissioning at the tertiary centres Alder Hey and Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.

ODN funding and governance arrangements are provided by North West NHS England.   The ODN is hosted jointly by Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital (RMCH) and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital (AHCH)  with finance and human resources support being provided by RMCH.

The ODN will work across the North West to support the management of capacity and demand for paediatric critical care. The ODN will develop surge plans for increased demands for paediatric critical care capacity – working with other networks in collaboration when appropriate. The ODN will strive to improve the quality of care in the North West including improving the child and their families experience. Important workstreams will include monitoring standards and facilitating peer reviews of units which provide paediatric critical care in secondary and tertiary care.

Frequently Asked Questions