Paediatric Emergency and Trauma
Royal Manchester Children's Hospital
Paediatric Emergency and Trauma at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital
The Paediatric Emergency Department at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital provides 24-hour emergency care for children aged 0 to 16 years with injuries, illness, surgical emergencies and mental health emergencies. It sees around 50,000 children each year and is a designated regional Paediatric Major Trauma Centre for severely injured children from Manchester and across the North West.
Observers and fellows will experience how paediatric emergency and trauma care is delivered in a busy specialist children's hospital, including triage, prioritisation, acute assessment, investigation, treatment, observation, discharge planning and admission pathways.
The programme provides exposure to consultant specialists in Paediatric Emergency Medicine, experienced paediatric nurses, resident doctors, Advanced Nurse Practitioners, play specialists, healthcare assistants, administrative teams and wider specialty services. It also supports understanding of referral pathways to specialist clinics, the Children’s Clinical Decision Unit, general paediatrics, surgery, orthopaedics, cardiology, ENT, mental health teams and regional trauma services.
Observers and fellows will gain insight into trauma presentations, acute medical and surgical emergencies, mental health presentations, safeguarding considerations, family communication and patient safety within a high-acuity emergency environment.
Fellowships and observerships at Manchester Specialist Health Academy provide international clinicians with structured opportunities to experience high quality healthcare training within a leading NHS environment. Both pathways offer consultant oversight, a clear induction, and access to modern clinical settings that support a strong understanding of advanced patient care. Participants are welcomed into a professional community that encourages learning, collaboration, and engagement with the culture of Manchester.
While fellows take part in more in depth clinical development, gaining exposure to subspecialties, procedures and research, observers focus on shadowing and understanding multidisciplinary practice within NHS services. Both groups benefit from involvement in clinics, team discussions, and wider learning activities such as simulation sessions, CPD opportunities, and quality improvement insight.
Academic contributions and awards
The Paediatric Emergency Department is active in clinical governance, patient safety, quality improvement, audit, research and training, including paediatric simulation and research linked to PERUKI.
Recent publication: Sabir L, Waheed S, Rushmer C, Helliwell H, Scott A, Tricks R, Durand C. Paediatric electric-scooter injuries: an emerging public health crisis? Emergency Medicine Journal. 2026.
This multicentre study included Royal Manchester Children's Hospital as one of three UK paediatric major trauma centres and analysed e-scooter-related injuries in patients under 16 years of age from January 2019 to December 2024.
Rare and complex cases
Observers and fellows may be exposed to acute and complex presentations across paediatric emergency medicine and trauma, including severely injured children, suspected major trauma, serious infection, breathing difficulty, suspected meningitis, severe injuries, burns, head injury, mental health crisis and children requiring urgent specialist referral.
The regional Paediatric Major Trauma Centre role offers exposure to trauma coordination, multidisciplinary assessment, imaging pathways, surgical and orthopaedic input, rehabilitation planning and liaison with local District General Hospitals and regional trauma services.
Learning themes include triage and prioritisation, recognition of the deteriorating child, acute pain and injury assessment, safeguarding and risk assessment, emergency communication with families, safe discharge, observation in the Children’s Clinical Decision Unit and escalation to inpatient, surgical, critical care or specialist teams.
Why Manchester?
Manchester is a city of innovation and progress, renowned as the world’s first industrial city and still leading in science, healthcare, and technology. With excellent transport links and a vibrant, multicultural atmosphere, it offers an inclusive environment for learning and professional growth.
Beyond your placement, Manchester offers something for everyone - from watching the iconic Manchester derby to exploring world-class museums and galleries. With vibrant music, sport, and culture, the city truly has it all. Combining heritage and modernity, it creates a unique setting for personal enrichment and memorable experiences whilst you develop professionally.
Our signature programmes
Observership
Paediatric Emergency and Trauma
Objectives
By the end of the placement, the visiting professional should be able to:
- Describe the structure of a paediatric emergency department and regional Paediatric Major Trauma Centre within a specialist children's hospital.
- Observe triage, prioritisation and initial assessment of children with urgent and emergency presentations.
- Understand pathways for medical, surgical, injury, trauma and mental health presentations in paediatric emergency care.
- Recognise the role of multidisciplinary working across emergency medicine, nursing, advanced practice, play, general paediatrics, surgery, orthopaedics, mental health and trauma services.
- Observe safe discharge, observation, referral and admission processes, including use of the Children’s Clinical Decision Unit and specialty follow-up pathways.
- Understand how clinical governance, patient safety, simulation, audit, research and quality improvement support emergency care for children.
Eligibility
- The visiting professional must have sufficient English language skills to engage meaningfully in the observership.
Fellowship
Paediatric Emergency and Trauma
Objectives
By the end of the placement, the visiting professional should be able to:
- Apply supervised clinical reasoning to paediatric emergency and trauma presentations within an NHS emergency care setting.
- Contribute to supervised assessment, investigation planning, escalation, discharge planning and referral discussions for acutely unwell or injured children.
- Develop practical understanding of triage, emergency prioritisation, major trauma pathways, clinical decision-unit observation and specialty interface working.
- Strengthen multidisciplinary communication with consultants, nurses, Advanced Nurse Practitioners, resident doctors, play specialists, mental health teams and specialty services.
- Engage with clinical governance, simulation, audit, research or service improvement activity.
- Reflect on transferable approaches to paediatric emergency care, trauma systems, patient safety, family communication and future clinical leadership.
Eligibility
- Postgraduate Qualification: Applicants must hold an overseas-recognised postgraduate medical qualification (MD, MS, Masters) in ophthalmology or a relevant specialty.
- Experience: Minimum of 3 years’ recent experience in ophthalmology or a related specialty within the last 5 years, including at least 12 months of continuous practice before applying.
- Training Level: Equivalent to ST5 or above, or post-CCT clinicians seeking subspecialty exposure.
- Language Proficiency: IELTS Academic with 7.0 in each band and overall 7.5, or OET Medicine with Grade B in all domains, with certificate validity within 24 months.
- Registration: GMC registration is required for fellowship activity. Sponsorship support may be available through approved routes where appropriate.
- Applicants must not have failed PLAB exams previously.
- Visa sponsorship is only available through approved routes; self-funded visas outside agreed schemes are excluded.