AB030. SOH26AB_0130. Expanding paediatric surgery in Ireland: early outcomes following establishment of the University Hospital Limerick (UHL) Regional Service [2023–2025]

Paediatric surgical services in Ireland have historically been centralised within Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) hospitals in Dublin, leading to long travel distances for families and prolonged waiting times for elective assessment. To improve regional access, the University Hospital Limerick (UHL) Group established a dedicated paediatric special interest surgery service in October 2023. This study aimed to evaluate its early impact on referral patterns, outpatient access, and operative activity.