Feilim has been privileged to be the lead for all children’s surgery and the general surgery and urology ODN chair since 2018 in the STPN. Children’s general surgery of childhood ODN was created to ensure that every child could receive prompt appropriate access to care as close to home a possible. Initially the focus was to develop strong clinical links between the different hospitals and minimising transfers. During Covid the ODN enabled children’s surgical lists to restart and reduce the waiting list.

As the group developed it was created cultural change within units so that children’s care is now a priority. The working group was written numerous regional and national guidelines, create in face training for staff, researched methods to reduce health inequalities, improve pain management and enabled data sharing (to list just a few of their achievements) which have improved the care of children in the region and across the country.

I am immensely grateful to the working group which a diverse and hard-working committee who dedicate a huge amount of time and effort to enhancing the care of children undergoing surgery.  In 2026-27 the group will focus on improving the pathways for children with complex needs undergoing surgery, improve analgesia for all children and continue to strive to provide the best care in Europe for children by 2030.