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Paediatricians' views on renal services for children and adolescents in Scotland
1Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Yorkhill, Glasgow.
Background:
Paediatric nephrology is a small subspecialty whose patients are widely scattered geographically within Scotland making provision of uniform and optimal care difficult.
Aim:
We set out to determine what services are provided throughout Scotland as well as seeking paediatricians' views on improving services for children and adolescents with renal disease.
Method:
All 12 paediatric units in Scotland were visited and a senior consultant within each unit undertook to complete a questionnaire on behalf of his or her unit.
Results:
Questionnaires were returned by 11/12 centres (92%). The scope of renal services offered varied widely. Most (10/11) favoured a 'shared care' approach using the comprehensive paediatric nephrology service in Glasgow as a focal point. Outreach services and a telephone advisory service were suggested by 7/10 and 6/10 units respectively. The development of a Scottish paediatric nephrology group was supported by 10/11 centres returning the questionnaire.
Conclusion:
There is both a need and an interest in developing a national strategy for paediatric nephrology in Scotland.