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Updated: Aug 19, 2026
Cortical Source Analysis of High-Density EEG Recordings in Children
Published on: June 30, 2014
Insights
Millions of children visit UK accident and emergency (A&E) departments annually. This study highlights that many young children attending A&E have non-urgent conditions and may not receive adequate pain management, indicating a need for improved primary care access and A&E services.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Healthcare Service Delivery
- Quality of Care Assessment
Background:
- Millions of children attend UK accident and emergency (A&E) departments yearly, comprising a significant portion of all attendances.
- Current guidance emphasizes specialized pediatric A&E care, yet most children are not seen in dedicated units or by trained staff.
- This study addresses the gap in understanding pediatric A&E service provision and care quality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the attendance patterns of young children (≤5 years) in a district general hospital's A&E department.
- To investigate service provision and quality of care issues for pediatric A&E attendances.
- To identify areas for improvement in pediatric emergency care and access to primary services.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of attendance patterns for 375 children aged five years and under.
- Review of secondary data from A&E records to assess service provision and care quality.
- Examination of triage categories, referral pathways, and pain management practices.
Main Results:
- One-third of pediatric A&E attendances were triaged as non-urgent, suggesting potential overuse of emergency services for less severe conditions.
- A notable number of children were referred by general practitioners (GPs) and admitted via A&E, bypassing direct pediatric ward admission.
- Despite generally short waiting times, many children did not appear to receive adequate analgesia, indicating deficits in pain assessment and management.
Conclusions:
- Improved access to general practitioner (GP) services is needed to reduce non-urgent A&E attendances by young children.
- Streamlining referral pathways from GPs to pediatric wards could enhance efficiency and patient flow.
- Enhanced pain assessment and management protocols are crucial for improving the quality of care for children in A&E departments.
Abstract:
Between two and three million children attend accident and emergency (A&E) departments every year in the United Kingdom, making up one quarter of all A&E attendances (Bentley 1996). Despite government, professional and consumer guidance (Audit Commission 1996, Action for Sick Children 1997), the majority of children are not seen in a children's A&E or cared for by appropriately-trained staff. This study explored the pattern of attendance of 375 children aged five years and under who attended the A&E department in a district general hospital. Issues of service provision and quality of care were also explored using secondary data from A&E records. Key findings were that one third of the children were triaged with non-urgent illness, suggesting a need for improved access to GP services and that a number of children were referred by GPs and admitted via A&E rather than directly to the paediatric ward. Although waiting times were generally short, many children did not appear to receive analgesia, suggesting the need for improved pain assessment and management.
