1089 Unscheduled care presentations for children in gloucestershire during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Background The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in major changes to the way children and their families carry about their daily lives. Public health measures have instructed families to stay at home to avoid spreading the infection and as such parents have faced the added challenge of combing educating and caring for their children with working from home. Recent literature highlights a possible increase in child abuse during the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. Objectives In view of the concerns raised in the literature, Gloucestershire Paediatric Unscheduled Care Presentations were reviewed to determine local trends and to provide reassurance/ concerns as to any local or developing issues. Managing minor illnesses and reducing accidents is identified as one of the six key high impact areas of the DOH 2018 report which promotes timely interventions to support parents in keeping their children healthy and safe. Injury surveillance is an important component in detecting vulnerable children and their families' and is critical in informing local government policy and public health measures for its prevention. Methods Data was collected on all unscheduled care attendances (in children 11 years). Younger children have presented in similar numbers thought to be due to an increase in trampoline use. There was an overall increase in burns by 10% in 2020 compared to 2019. Thermal contact burns were the most common burn in all age groups apart from <1year, where scalds from hot drinks predominated. The highest incidence of burns during the summer of 2020 was in the 6-11 years olds which may reflect increased BBQ usage in the summer weather and potentially reduced supervision. Conclusions Gloucestershire ED and PAU has seen upwards trends in burns and dog bites during the pandemic indicative of the burden and stressors placed on households. However, these injuries suggest a lack of supervision and safety in the home and are a safe-guarding concern. Injuries are a preventable cause of morbidity in the paediatric population. This data collection highlights the needs not only in strengthening our public health measures but also in strengthening the services responsible for investigating judiciously safeguarding concerns, detecting vulnerable families, protect children from maltreatment and promoting their overall welfare.