Marilyn Mcdougal, Shelley RiphagenSARA ALI FAHAD ALSUWAIS2022-06-042022-01-272022-06-04109927https://drepo.sdl.edu.sa/handle/20.500.14154/65944Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted health systems worldwide. The number of patients coming to paediatric emergency departments (EDs) and paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) in the UK has decreased substantially due to the country’s national lockdown and worldwide curfews. Several respiratory diseases predominantly asthma, bronchiolitis, pneumonia, and croup were the most common reasons for admission in PICU. In order to limit avoidable deaths, it is essential to maintain public trust in local health systems and encourage appropriate care-seeking behaviour. Little documentation and research exist about the impact of the pandemic on paediatric retrieval services. Study Aim: To identify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on paediatric retrieval services. Methods: The current study was conducted on STRS by adopting a quantitative approach using a retrospective chart review design in a paediatric referral service from district general hospitals (DGHs) to PICUs in the UK, which serve approximately 100 patients annually. The data were collected from anonymised STRS medical records from Evelina London Children’s Hospital. To be deemed appropriate for inclusion, participants were required to have received a respiratory referral between January 2015 and December 2020 and be aged between 0 to 16 years. The study conducted several analyses to assess the association between COVID-19 and paediatric referral service delivery, including Kolmogorov-Smirnoff and Pearson’s bivariate correlations. The alpha was set at α = 0.05. Results: A total of 3,002 subjects were included. The study identified a statistically significant difference between the year and pattern of referrals (H(5) = 22.303, p < 0.001). The majority of admissions occurred during autumn (n = 1,044; 34.8%) or winter (n = 970; 32.3%). Peaks in admissions occurred in 2017 (n = 667; 22.2%) and 2018 (n = 695; 23.2%) while in 2020 the admission rate decreased (n=351; 11.7%). Discussion: The study findings suggest that in the event of a pandemic, patterns of respiratory referrals to PICUs decrease dramatically. The study provides several insights that can help facilitate knowledge and understanding of the pandemic’s implications for referral services and patients. Conclusion: PICU admissions and paediatric interfacility transfers (IFTs) changed throughout the UK during the first COVID-19-related shutdown, which occurred in the early stages of the lockdown itself. COVID-19 pandemic impacted the admission of children to hospitals and South Thames Retrieval Services among paediatric retrievals due to the reduction in hospitalisations compared to previous years. Keywords: South Thames Retrieval Services, STRS, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Pandemic, Paediatric, Respiratory, Referrals, Seasonality60enThesis