PICANet State of the Nation Report 2024
This National Paediatric Critical Care Audit State of the Nation Report describes paediatric critical care activity occurring within designated Level 3 paediatric intensive care units (PICU) and Specialist Paediatric Critical Care Transport Services in the United Kingdom (UK) and Republic of Ireland (ROI) during 2021 – 2023.
An overview of paediatric critical care in 2023 is provided below
There were 18,498 PICU admissions for children aged 0-15 years in 2023. Around two thirds of these were from the same hospital and one-third were from another hospital with 38% coming from theatre and recovery, 24% from A&E and 22% from a ward.
During their PICU stay, 61% of admissions required invasive ventilation and 20% required non-invasive ventilation, 32% required vasoactive treatment, 1.2% received ECMO and 3% needed renal support.
Most children survived their PICU admission (96.3%) and of these a small percentage were discharged for palliative care (1%). Where the child survived PICU, 82% of admissions were discharged to the same hospital and 12% to another hospital, mostly children who were discharged back to the ward (82%) or HDU (13%).
Of the 685 admissions where the child died in PICU: treatment was withdrawn in two-thirds of cases; treatment was limited in 17%; death by neurological criteria occurred in 8% and death was due to failed cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a further 8%. Twenty-nine (4%) of those who died were transplant donors.
In addition to the 18,498 admissions for children to PICU in 2023, there were 531 children admitted to adult ICUs across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland with over half (55%) for children aged 10 years or under. Admission of children to adult ICU was most common in October, November and December.
In 2023, there were 5,804 transports reported to PICANet of which the majority (n=4,192, 72%) were non-elective transports to PICU.
There were 18,498 PICU admissions for children aged 0-15 years in 2023. Around two thirds of these were from the same hospital and one-third were from another hospital with 38% coming from theatre and recovery, 24% from A&E and 22% from a ward.
During their PICU stay, 61% of admissions required invasive ventilation and 20% required non-invasive ventilation, 32% required vasoactive treatment, 1.2% received ECMO and 3% needed renal support.
Most children survived their PICU admission (96.3%) and of these a small percentage were discharged for palliative care (1%). Where the child survived PICU, 82% of admissions were discharged to the same hospital and 12% to another hospital, mostly children who were discharged back to the ward (82%) or HDU (13%).
Of the 685 admissions where the child died in PICU: treatment was withdrawn in two-thirds of cases; treatment was limited in 17%; death by neurological criteria occurred in 8% and death was due to failed cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a further 8%. Twenty-nine (4%) of those who died were transplant donors.
In addition to the 18,498 admissions for children to PICU in 2023, there were 531 children admitted to adult ICUs across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland with over half (55%) for children aged 10 years or under. Admission of children to adult ICU was most common in October, November and December.
In 2023, there were 5,804 transports reported to PICANet of which the majority (n=4,192, 72%) were non-elective transports to PICU.
Each year we make national recommendations in our State of the Nation Reports. Our latest Impact Report describes how last year’s recommendations have encouraged and supported developments to investigate areas of inequality and improve the quality of paediatric critical care.
The Infographic highlights some of the report’s key findings.
The Appendices contain acknowledgements to the paediatric critical care community, as well as background information and methodology about the audit.
PICANet State of the Nation Report 2024 Tables
This year we provide detailed information in interactive charts with associated data tables for 10 outcomes. There are also three core Excel files for Standardised Mortality Ratios and Data Quality.
PICANet will refresh these tables and charts on an annual basis.
For more up to date summary figures throughout the year, please refer to the PICANet Data Dashboard.
Quality Improvement resources for participating organisations are available on our QI Resources page
If you have any queries regarding the report please contact picanet@leeds.ac.uk.
PICANet must be acknowledged as the source when reproducing or quoting any part of this publication. Citation for this report: Paediatric Intensive Care Audit Network (PICANet) National Paediatric Critical Care Audit State of the Nation Report 2024. Universities of Leeds and Leicester, 2024.
Previous editions of PICANet annual reports are available in the Annual Report Archive.