In the critical moments when every second matters, a dedicated team stands ready to save the tiniest and sickest or most injured patients across New South Wales (NSW) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). 

This is NETS – the Newborn and paediatric Emergency Transport Service – the specialist emergency medical telemedicine consultation, coordination and retrieval service of the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network (SCHN). 

With a mission to bring expert care to children wherever they are, NETS is a lifeline for supporting remote clinical teams and families facing their most frightening moments. 

And behind this vital service is the generosity of Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation (SCHF) donors, whose support helps provide world-class equipment, training and technology to reach more children – when and where they need it. 

What is NETS?

NETS brings tertiary level clinical expertise directly to patients — no matter where they are. 

Based in Sydney but supporting clinicians and families statewide, NETS operates with a highly specialised team of neonatal and paediatric intensive care doctors, nurses, and emergency vehicle operators ready to respond at any hour, 24/7, 365 days per year 

Thanks to donor-supported resources, NETS can coordinate and deliver emergency care and stabilisation before safely transporting patients using: 

• Specially equipped bespoke emergency ambulances 
• NSW Ambulance Helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft 
• Charter fixed-wing aircraft for long-distance and special missions – overseas and interstate 
• Retrieval vehicles supporting teams across NSW and the ACT 

From premature newborns requiring neonatal intensive care to children experiencing life-threatening trauma, NETS ensures young patients receive rapid access to expert care when they need it most. 

A state-wide lifeline 

Every year, thousands of families rely on NETS for urgent retrievals and lifesaving medical support. 

As the only statewide specialised service of its kind in Australia, NETS connects regional hospitals, community health facilities, and even homes directly to major paediatric centres like The Children’s Hospital at Westmead and Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick. 

With an advanced telemedicine coordination system, local clinicians can connect with NETS specialists immediately for consultation, ensuring every decision supports a child’s best outcome, even before transport begins. 

In emergencies where distance and time are critical, NETS ensures no child is too far for expert care- a service made possible through the generosity of donors like you. 

The role of SCHF: supporting lifesaving care 

Philanthropy is at the heart of NETS’ ability to go further, respond faster and deliver expert care when it matters most. Donor support helps expand what this extraordinary service can do for sick and injured children. 

Through the generosity of SCHF donors, vital enhancements are made possible, including: 

• Specialised lifesaving equipment such as transport incubators, ventilators, and advanced monitoring devices 
• Air and road transport upgrades that enable faster and safer retrievals 
• Advanced communication and telehealth systems to guide emergency decisions in real time 
• Training and education programs to prepare NETS clinicians for high-pressure, highly specialised retrieval scenarios. 

These donor-funded initiatives ensure NETS teams are always equipped with the most advanced tools and training — because in emergency paediatric care, preparedness saves lives. 

Looking ahead: a future-ready retrieval service 

As NSW continues to grow, so too does the demand for rapid, specialist paediatric emergency transport. 

With more families living in regional and rural areas, innovation in retrieval medicine has never been more important. 

NETS is evolving to meet this demand – advancing equipment, transport, digital systems and medical technologies to ensure every child, no matter where they are, can reach the right care at the right time. 

How you can help 

NETS saves lives every single day – but they can only do it with the support of people like you. Your donation helps bring the best possible care to kids, whenever and wherever they need it. 

By donating today, you can change the future for sick kids.