Scope

This Lead and Inform Clinical Reference Group (CRG) covers a large number of specialities and diagnoses. This is because specialised surgery in children comprises both the ongoing management of congenital abnormalities and serious acquired conditions during childhood. The services included but not limited to:

• specialist ear, nose and throat services for children (including specialist audiology services)
• specialist gynaecology services for children
• specialist orthopaedic surgery services for children
• specialist plastic surgery services for children
• specialist paediatric surgery services
• specialist paediatric urology services
• specialist dentistry services for children
• cleft lip and palate services
• craniofacial services
• surgery for complex obesity in children
• paediatric chronic pain services
• surgery for neonates

Membership

Chair: Sujata De, National Specialty Adviser (NSA) for Specialised Surgery in Children

• Scott Deacon, Clinical member
• Robert Freeman, Clinical member
• Glyn Williams, Clinical member
• Shailinder Singh, Clinical Member
• Heather Weaver, Pharmacy Lead
• Jacqui Lindo, Public Health Lead
• Bernie Stocks, HSS Commissioning Lead
• Nitin Patwardhan, ODN Clinical Member
• Simon Courtman, Affiliate Member, President Elect APAGBI
• Ian Sugarman, Affiliate Member, BAPS
• Graham Slater, Patient and Public Voice Representative
• Thomas Pearce, Patient and Public Voice Representative
• Camilla Poulton, Patient and Public Voice Representative
• Katie Jones, Lead Commissioner

Products

A key part of the CRG’s work is the delivery of the ‘products’ of commissioning. These are the tools used by the 10 Hub Commissioning Teams to contract services on an annual basis.

Service specifications

Service specifications are important in clearly defining the standards of care expected from organisations funded by NHS England to provide specialised care. The specifications have been developed by specialised clinicians, commissioners, expert patients and public health representatives to describe both core and developmental service standards. Core standards are those that all funded providers should be able to demonstrate, with developmental standards being those which may require further changes in practice over time to provide excellence in the field.

The following service specifications fall within the scope of this CRG:

• Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome with macroglossia service (children)
• Bladder exstrophy service (children)
• Cleft Lip and/or Palate Services including Non-Cleft Velopharyngeal Dysfunction (VPD) (All Ages)
• Complex tracheal disease service (children)
• Craniofacial service (All Ages)
• Paediatric Surgery (& Surgical Pathology, Anaesthesia & Pain)
• Paediatric Surgery Chronic Pain
• Paediatric Surgery Neonates
• Specialised and complex obesity surgery for children
• Small bowel transplantation service (children and adults)

Policies

A commissioning policy is a document that defines access to a service for a particular group of patients. A NICE Technology Appraisal Guideline on the same topic will replace, or be incorporated into, a commissioning policy as appropriate. These are important documents that are developed to ensure consistency in access to treatments nationwide.

• Obesity surgery for children with severe complex obesity

Other related links

• Surgery in children clinical network specifications

Get involved

If you are interested in the work of the specialised surgery in children CRG or its NPOC, you can you can register as stakeholder.

For details on our latest consultations please visit the NHS England consultation hub.

Get in contact

For any questions or queries relating to the work of the specialised surgery in children CRG or its NPOC, please contact: england.npoc-womenandchildren@nhs.net