Objectives: To identify trends in presentations to Victorian emergency departments (EDs) by children and adolescents for mental and physical health problems; to determine patient characteristics associated with these presentations; to assess the relative clinical burdens of mental and physical health presentations. Design: Secondary analysis of Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset (VEMD) data. Participants, setting: Children and young people, 0–19 years, who presented to public EDs in Victoria, 2008–09 to 2014–15. Main outcome measures: Absolute numbers and proportions of mental and physical health presentations; types of mental health diagnoses; patient and clinical characteristics associated with mental and physical health presentations. Results: Between 2008–09 and 2014–15, the number of mental health presentations increased by 6.5% per year, that of physical health presentations by 2.1% per year; the proportion of mental health presentations rose from 1.7% to 2.2%. Self‐harm accounted for 22.5% of mental health presentations (11 770 presentations) and psychoactive substance use for 22.3% (11 694 presentations); stress‐related, mood, and behavioural and emotional disorders together accounted for 40.3% (21 127 presentations). The rates of presentations for self‐harm, stress‐related, mood, and behavioural and emotional disorders each increased markedly over the study period. Patients presenting with mental health problems were more likely than those with physical health problems to be triaged as urgent (2014–15: 66% v 40%), present outside business hours (36% v 20%), stay longer in the ED (65% v 82% met the National Emergency Access Target), and be admitted to hospital (24% v 18%). Conclusions: The number of children who presented to Victorian public hospital EDs for mental health problems increased during 2008–2015, particularly for self‐harm, depression, and behavioural disorders.

Objective The aim of this study was to assess the acceptability of a novel, integrated general practitioner (GP)–paediatrician model of care, aiming to reduce referrals to hospitals and improve primary care quality. Methods A pre-post study was conducted with five general practice clinics in north-west Melbourne. Over 12 months, 49 GPs and 896 families participated in the intervention that included weekly to fortnightly paediatrician–GP co-consultation sessions at the general practice, monthly case discussions and telephone or email clinical support for GPs. GPs and families completed surveys or interviews at three time points (before the intervention, after running the model for 4 months and at the end of the implementation). Non-identifiable consultation data were extracted from general practice medical records. Results All GPs found the model acceptable. Although not significant, there was a trend towards a lower proportion of referrals to private paediatricians after the intervention (from 34% to 20%) and emergency departments (from 19% to 12%). Outpatient clinic referrals remained steady, and then increased as the paediatrician left the clinics (31% vs 47% before and after the intervention respectively). Unnecessary prescribing of acid suppression medications decreased by 20% (from 29% to 9%). GPs reported improved confidence in paediatric care (88% vs 100% before and after the intervention respectively). Families reported increased confidence in GP care (78% vs 94% before and after the intervention respectively). Model cost estimates were A$172 above usual care per child seen in the co-consultations. Conclusions This novel model of care is acceptable to GPs and families and may improve access and quality of paediatric care. What is known about the topic? A GP–paediatrician integrated model of care appears effective in reducing hospital burden in England, but has not been implemented in Australia. What does this paper add? This pilot, an Australian first, found that a GP–paediatrician integrated model of care is feasible and acceptable in Australia’s primary healthcare system, improves GP confidence and quality of paediatric care, may reduce paediatric referrals to outpatient clinics and emergency departments and improves family confidence in, and preference for, GP care. What are the implications for practitioners? This model may reduce hospital burden and improve quality in GP paediatric care while potentially producing cost savings for families and the healthcare system.

Aim To examine 10‐year trends and inequalities in paediatric admission rates for acute and chronic Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions (ACSCs) in Victoria, Australia. Methods Secondary data analysis of the Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset of children aged 0–17 years and 11 months admitted with a principal diagnosis of acute ACSCs: gastroenteritis/dehydration, dental conditions and urinary tract infections (UTIs) or chronic ACSCs: asthma and diabetic ketoacidosis, from 2003 to 2013. Main outcome measure was trends in paediatric hospital admission rates for ACSCs (per 1000 population). Results Over the 10 years, hospital admission rates remained consistently high for asthma and dental conditions. Children from socioeconomically disadvantaged areas were more likely to be admitted for all acute conditions over time. Dental conditions were the only ACSC associated with increased rates of admissions in regional areas. Conclusions Inequalities in paediatric hospital admissions exist for acute conditions and have not changed from 2003 to 2013; disadvantaged Victorian children were more likely to be admitted to hospital at each time point. More equitable access to medical and dental care is needed. Primary care (medical and dental) should be a critical platform to address socio‐economic differences and effectively prevent avoidable hospital admissions in children.

ObjectiveExplore gaps and opportunities in primary care for children following a hospital admission for asthma.DesignExploratory mixed-methods, using linked hospital and primary care administration data.SettingEligible children, aged 3–18 years, admitted to one of three hospitals in Victoria, Australia between 2017 and 2018 with a clinical diagnosis of asthma.Results767 caregivers of eligible children participated, 39 caregivers completed a semistructured interview and 277 general practitioners (GPs) caring for 360 children completed a survey. Over 90% (n=706) of caregivers reported their child had a regular GP. However, few (14.1%, n=108) attended a GP in the 24 hours prior to index admission or in the 7 days after (35.8%, n=275). Children readmitted for asthma (34.2%, n=263), compared with those not readmitted (65.8%, n=504), were less likely to have visited a GP in the non-acute phase of their asthma in the 12 months after index admission (22.1% vs 42.1%, respectively), and their GP was more likely to report not knowing the child had an asthma admission (52.8% vs 39.2%, respectively). Fewer GPs reported being extremely confident managing children with poorly controlled asthma (11.9%, n=43) or post-discharge (16.7%, n=60), compared with children with well-controlled asthma (36.4%, n=131), with no difference by child readmission status.ConclusionsGiven the exploratory design and descriptive approach, it is unknown if the differences by child readmission status have any causal relationship with readmission. Nonetheless, improving preventative patterns of primary care visits, timely communication between hospitals and primary care providers, and guideline concordant care by GPs are needed.