THIS ADVICE IS UK-SPECIFIC!
Surgery in childhood can be performed by:
- Paediatric surgeons with higher surgical training and accreditation to operate on children.
- Adult surgeons with training and experience to perform specific surgeries for common childhood problems e.g. appendicitis , testicular pain etc are common problems that are treated most commonly be general surgeons.
How can I tell?
Ask your GP: For planned care, ask your GP. Your GP makes the referral, they have a good understanding of their local services and can direct you appropriately.
Ask your surgeon: For emergency care, ask your surgeon. This is an expected and appropriate to establish these facts as part of consent for surgery.
Ask the hospital: e.g. Google search [Hospital name + paediatric surgeon + surgery]. Every hospital has a website and staff directory. It should be possible to find out whether there is a paediatric surgery department in that hospital.
Ask the GMC website: Every doctor registered to practice is listed in this searchable database. Their specialist qualifications are also listed, as this is a GMC registration requirement.
Does it matter?
This depends on the condition you require treatment for.
In an emergency, the NHS systems are pretty good at making sure your child is stabilised first, then transferred to a more specialised centre if needed. Hospital’s work in established networks. You can trust the system. However, it is also okay to ask whether your child needs to be transferred.
For planned care, the NHS constitution means you can ask for referral to a specific NHS provider. Your GP is best placed to advise you when they make the referral.
What should I ask?
Is this hospital used to looking after (children this age? children with needs like my child? children needing a surgery like this?)
Can I check, is this a surgery you do often?
Are you a children’s surgeon?
It can be awkward. But trust me, this is a question that I expect to be asked as a surgeon. All parents understandably want to know who is looking after their precious child.
Pro tip: Ask the nurses. They often know everything there is to know about how the hospital works and can often put your mind at ease.
What about private surgeons?
The advice above applies. Private hospitals check surgeons rigorously before they add them onto their list or providers. One of the checks involves making sure their private work is similar to their NHS work.
This “scope of practice” check ensures that doctors are offering treatments that they would ordinarily offer in their normal NHS role.
GP’s are a great source of advice. Equally, double-checking the surgeons NHS role, and their GMC registration information, will be informative.
What about the anaesthetic?
Most surgery for children requires a general anaesthetic.
Surgeon’s work within hospitals where safe anaesthesia for children can be offered. Each centre will have an established age of care, outpatient and inpatient arrangements.
