Paediatric Perioperative care (P-POC) working group

“Every child requiring an anaesthetic for a procedure or operation should expect to receive pre-operative assessment that meets the medical, physical and emotional needs of that child”.

The PPOC group was formed in 2015 by a group of UK-based paediatric anaesthetists who recognised the importance of paediatric preassessment and perioperative medicine. The aim of PPOC is to provide information and resources for healthcare professionals who share the vision of improving outcomes for children requiring anaesthetic services through better perioperative care provision.

Paed Pre-operative Assessment

In 2022 PPOC members co-authored a Best Practice Guideline[AN1] for children’s preassessment services, endorsed by the Royal College of Anaesthetists. This is following the RCOA highlighting perioperative medicine as one of the important areas of future research in paediatric care since 2017.

There is a developing body of research evidence to help advance perioperative medicine for children. The PPOC group continue to develop and support projects looking at the broader aspects of paediatric perioperative care and also concentrate on some specific care pathways to benefit children in the UK.

PPOC Sub-Committee Members

Dr Nadia Ladak (Chair) – Consultant paediatric anaesthetist, Sheffield Children’s NHS foundation Trust, Chair of PPOC subcommittee of the APAGBI

Dr Samantha Black– Paediatric and perioperative consultant anaesthetist Medway NHS foundation trust, Royal College of Anaesthetists Patient information lead, Anaesthetic Lead South Thames ODN

Dr Amy Norrington– Consultant Paediatric Anaesthetist and Children and Young People’s Preassessment Lead, South Tees NHS Foundation Trust, Co-Chair North East and North Cumbria Children and Young People’s ODN Perioperative Medicine Group, GIRFT/NHSE Regional Clinical Lead (North East and Yorkshire) Children and Young People’s Preoperative Assessment

Dr Maggie Babb– Consultant Paediatric Anaesthetist Children's Hospital at Royal Stoke. Anaesthetic Lead for West Midlands Surgery in Children ODN

Dr Shyamala Moganasundram
Dr Barry Lambert
Dr Catherine Riley
Dr Alex Norris (Trainee Rep) – Midlands based APA PATRN committee member with a special interest in children’s perioperative experience.