ABSTRACT
Introduction The last decade has witnessed fundamental changes in the provision of paediatric intensive care (PIC) in the UK. The adoption of a series of national reports and guidelines has resulted in the development of a regional network of lead centres for PIC and paediatric retrieval services.1-3 From the moment it is determined that a child needs transfer for definitive treatment, successful management of the most seriously ill children requires an ongoing dialogue to be established between a referring hospital and the lead centre for PIC. An interchange of clinical information and advice will enable a child’s care to proceed smoothly through resuscitation, stabilization, transfer and on to intensive care.
