Cardiac model of care

Experts from across the Sydney Children's Hospitals Network are delivering compassionate, world-class cardiac care to children and families from across NSW and beyond.

In 2021, a decision was made to deliver a networked cardiac service, which places children and families at the centre of everything we do.

Our model of care

Each individual child is at the centre of the model of care, with cardiac care delivered through integrated pathways provided as close to the family home as possible, from before birth until transition to adult services.

Delivery of care by a comprehensive multidisciplinary cardiac team will occur across a number of care environments including hospital and a variety of ambulatory settings such as outpatients, outreach clinics, hospital in the home, remote monitoring and telehealth and will:

• Reflect nationally and internationally accepted clinical safety standards where surgical or endovascular interventions are being undertaken. This includes sufficient case numbers of all complexity to maintain expertise in the management of all types of congenital heart disorders.
• Be provided in a safe environment for cardiac surgery, with appropriate infrastructure, clinical staff and support facilities such as access to urgent paediatric cardiac catheterisation, specialist imaging and post-operative support services.
• Recognise a consultation and liaison service to support other clinical sub-specialties.
• Exist within the framework of a network, providing comprehensive access to all paediatric sub-specialties.
• Ensure staffing levels allow expert provision of care 24 hours per day, 7 days a week.
• Adhere to clinical protocols and pathways of care based on best evidence and contemporary practice, consistent with the service being delivered.
• Manage referrals through a central intake and collect patient data to measure the effectiveness and impact on patient outcomes.
• Have a close relationship with all maternity and fetal medicine services.