Refining and Testing the Diagnostic Accuracy of an Assessment Tool (PAT-POPS) to Predict Admission and Discharge of Children and Young People Who Attend an Emergency Department

Increasing attendances by children (aged 0-16 years) at UK emergency departments (EDs) is putting pressure on the National Health Service (NHS). Health professionals make complex judgements on whether children attending EDs can be sent home safely or require admission. The Pennine Acute Hospitals (PAT) Paediatric Observation Priority Score (PAT-POPS) was developed as an ED-specific screening tool for this purpose. A preliminary study showed it to be a potentially effective tool for deciding admission of children from the ED. Therefore, the focus of this study is to refine the original screening tool.