Paediatric neurology in the United Kingdom

The author visited ten paediatric neurology departments in the U.K. as part of a travelling scholarship. He was particularly interested in the way services were organized, and was able to make comparisons and note those features which seemed desirable. It seemed to him that: there should be a considerable overlap between paediatric neurology and handicapped childrens' services with the paediatric neurologist an active member of the local child development centre team; paediatric neurologists should be closely involved in the diagnosis and treatment of acute neurological disorders; minimum staffing for a regional paediatric neurology service for a total population of 2 million or more would be two consultant paediatric neurologists and appropriate supporting staff; different centres have opted for inpatient facilities either in a separate paediatric neurology ward, or in general paediatric wards: there are advantages and disadvantages for each option; school clinics and clinics in other hospital centres are valuable; neuroradiology, neurosurgery, neurophysiology and neuropathology should ideally be present in the hospital providing the paediatric neurology service; regular professional contact with other doctors in the neurosciences is important; junior posts in paediatric neurology would usually be filled by paediatricians in training but certain centres could be asked to appoint a career senior registrar from time to time depending on consultant paediatric neurologist requirements; and creation of lecturerships in paediatric neurology would help to encourage academic research in the subject.