The provision of safe surgery for children.

In 1977 a grant was given to the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland by the Nuffield Provincial Hospitals Trust in order to carry out a confidential inquiry into deaths associated with anaesthesia.After this study a recommendation was made that future epidemiological studies should involve both anaesthe- tists and surgeons.The most recent report studied the deaths of children under 10 years of age within 30 days of an operation.'Confidentiality was assured and the patients who died were subjected to an independent review by surgeons and anaesthetists.In this survey 417 deaths occurred of whom 150 were non-cardiac patients and it was possible to review in details 102 of these patients.Seventy five per cent of these patients had been admitted as an emergency.The findings and recommendations of The National Confidential Enquiry into Perioperative Deaths (NCEPOD)' are of vital interest to anyone responsible for the care of children.Two of the six recommendations are particularly relevant, firstly, 'Surgeons and anaesthetists should not undertake occasional paediatric practice' and secondly, 'Consultants who take the responsibility for the care of children (particularly in District General Hospitals and in single surgical specialty hospitals) must keep up to date and competent in the management of children'.No attempt was made to quantify or define the term 'occasional paediatric practice' and'aspects of this will be discussed in this paper.It is therefore appro- priate to consider the deficiencies highlighted by the report and some potential remedies.As surgeons, anaesthetists, and paediatricians we are primarily concerned with the quality of care required for our patients.Infants and children requiring surgery should be operated upon with a minimal risk to life, few compli- cations, and as little disturbance to the family unit as possible, that is, 'safe anaesthesia and surgery'.The British Paediatric Association is concerned about audit, which has been defined as 'the systematic critical analysis of the quality of medical care, including the procedures used for diagnosis and treatment, the use of resources and the resulting outcome for the quality of life for the patient'.