The ODN team bring together a regional network of providers of care for critically ill and injured children who work together and with commissioners of services to improve the safety and quality of care. The ODN also supports through development of regional guidelines, education and sharing best practice.

Children needing intermediate or advanced critical care may need to be transferred by a specialist paediatric transport service to a PICU. Some children may spend a short period of time in an Adult Intensive Care Unit (AICU) or theatre recovery area being stabilised whilst waiting for the Specialist Paediatric Transport Service to arrive. The transport team will also provide an advice service to local hospitals regarding paediatric critical care.

There are 3 main levels of paediatric critical care

• Level 1 (basic critical care) – Hospitals with inpatient paediatric facilities should provide at least Level 1 paediatric critical care on the same hospital site.
• Level 2 (intermediate critical care) – This will be often be enhanced respiratory support such as non invasive ventilation. In specialist hospitals, it may include other more complex interventions such as renal replacement or complex neurological monitoring. This care is often known as ‘high dependency’ care.
• Level 3 (advanced critical care) – This care is known as ‘paediatric intensive care’ and is usually provided in a Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU).
• level 3 care can be initiated in any district general hospital and will be supported by advice and guidance from the specialist paediatric critical care transport team.
• For some children it may be more appropriate for the local team to transport the child to the tertiary service to cover the time critical transfers, this will be done in conjunction with the transport/advice team and the accepting hospital

Paediatric critical care describes the care of sick children who need an enhanced level of observation, monitoring or intervention which cannot safely be delivered in general paediatric wards. This care may be delivered in a within a ward or in a separate area within the hospital.