To prescribe or not to prescribe for paediatric sore throat: a retrospective cohort study comparing clinician-led antibiotic prescriptions to FeverPAIN and Centor scoring in a tertiary paediatric emergency department and a national review of practice.

Background: Tonsillopharyngitis is a common presentation to paediatric emergency departments (PEDs). FeverPAIN (FP) and Centor scoring systems are recommended in the UK to help delineate bacterial aetiology, despite being primarily evidenced in adult populations. We investigate how the use of FP or Centor compares to actual clinician practice in guiding antibiotic prescription rates in PED.