Promoting equality and reducing health inequalities are central to the principles of NHS England. National congenital heart disease standards1 recommend centralisation of specialist surgical services while delivering non-surgical cardiac care closer to home. This evaluation assessed a District General Hospital (DGH) paediatric cardiology service against NHS England standards and Yorkshire Congenital Heart Disease Network guidance.

Retrospective data over 12 months demonstrated that most cardiac reviews occurred in outpatient clinics, substantially reducing travel to tertiary centres. The majority of patients were either discharged or followed up locally, with only a small proportion requiring onward referral. Among inpatients reviewed, around 13% required tertiary referral, while the remainder were managed safely within the DGH.

The service was compliant with national and network standards except for outpatient review within 18 weeks and provision of a cardiac link nurse. Financial analysis indicated costeffectiveness through income generation and reduced tertiary consultation and transfer costs. Patient and parent feedback demonstrated high satisfaction and a clear preference for specialist care delivered locally.

Service innovations included a nurse-led innocent murmur clinic and locally developed guidelines for common presentations such as palpitations, chest pain and syncope. Following evaluation, a cardiac link nurse was appointed and referral guidance introduced to streamline pathways and reduce waiting times. This model demonstrates that high-quality paediatric cardiology care can be delivered safely, efficiently and equitably within a DGH setting.

Sunitha Sampath a Consultant Paediatrician with Cardiology expertise currently working in Rotherham Hospital after being trained in Paediatric Cardiology in Leeds General Infirmary. She also the Paediatric and Neonatal Cardiac lead, Medical Appraiser and Simulation lead for the trust. She have also been Training Programme Director for Yorkshire and Humber Deanery and Honorary Lecturer for Sheffield Hallam University. She also the course director for national level RIPE (Rapid Interpretation of Paediatric ECGs)course and the medical director of EPLS and NLS life support courses.