The Paediatric Recovery Course was developed collaboratively by the South West and Thames Valley & Wessex Surgery in Children Networks in after a a gap in paediatric theatre recovery education and training was identified across both regions with a largely adult registered workforce, and staff having variable exposure to children’s surgical activity and acuity across elective and emergent pathways.
A multi-disciplinary group of theatre recovery experts from both networks met throughout 2025 to discuss and agree course content and format to improve registered practitioner competence in paediatric stage 1 recovery post general anaesthetic, using a Paediatric Post-Anaesthetic Care Course developed by the East of England Surgery in Children Network for guidance.
A successful pilot was course was developed and delivered in Autumn 2025, aimed at nurses and ODPs working in stage 1 recovery. It is delivered through pre-course learning, 3 taught virtual study days, and one practical simulation day, followed by the completion of a competency-based skills booklet over a 6 month period.
