Coming into hospital for children and young people

If your child needs an operation, you’ll be invited to bring them to a pre-admission visit. During the visit:

• You can meet some of the staff who’ll be looking after your child
• You’ll be shown around to help you all feel more familiar with the hospital
• Your child’s weight, height, temperature, pulse and blood pressure may be measured
• Swabs for MRSA will be taken to help protect them against certain infections if they’ve been in hospital in the last 12 months
• It’s policy to perform a pregnancy test for teenage girls over the age of 12 years – we understand this can be a sensitive subject to talk about, but it’s for our patients’ safety

You’ll be given an information pack about your child’s treatment, hospital stay and aftercare to help you and your child prepare. If you have any questions or special requirements, our staff will be happy to help you.

For young people aged 16 or 17, you can choose to be looked after on our children’s ward or an adult ward.

Your child will have the option of their own private, en-suite room or to stay in our secure, dedicated Children and Young People's ward. We asked the local children to choose the theme of our ward and sea life and puffin's were the favourite.

We’re happy to arrange for one of you to stay with your child overnight in their room if you’d like.

The consultant surgeon and consultant anaesthetist for your child will explain what’s going to happen during and after the procedure, and you’ll be asked to sign a form consenting to the operation. Young people aged 16 or 17 can consent to their own treatment.

Younger children get to ride an electric car to theatre, making an otherwise anxious journey to the operating theatre fun and exciting.

If your child is having an operation involving general anaesthetic:

• You can accompany your child to the operating theatre
• You’re welcome to stay with them until they’re asleep
• Our medical staff will invite you to come with them to collect your child from the recovery area and take them back to the ward

All of the staff who’ll be looking after your child in the operating theatre and recovery area have received additional training in caring for children. We have a 'You're Welcome' Department of Health accreditation.

On the ward, your child will be cared for by nurses specially trained in looking after children – a registered sick children’s nurse or a nurse with a child branch certificate. The children’s nurse allocated to you will be present throughout your stay on the day of the procedure.

To help make your child’s stay as comfortable as possible, we provide:

• A range of age appropriate toys, books and videos – you can also bring your child’s favourite toys or comforters
• Free WiFi for patients and visitors ­– however, we take children’s internet safety seriously and encourage parents to refer to the guidance set out by the NSPCC on how to keep your child safe online
• A special children’s menu with freshly prepared meals, and we’ll always try to accommodate if they’d like something that’s not on the menu – we also offer a meal service for one parent
• For teenagers, we have two parental-controlled tablets and accompanying holders so they can be used hands-free for gaming or watching films in comfort

When your child is ready to leave, their nurse will explain any aspects of care you’ll need to help with while at home – such as dressing changes or helping with mobility. They’ll also explain how we can continue to support you and who to contact if you have any questions while at home.

Parents and carers can visit anytime during the day or night and we can even arrange for you to stay overnight if your child is staying in hospital. We understand how important it is that your child feels safe and happy throughout their stay, so we encourage family members to be around as much as they feel is necessary. Extended family members can visit between Monday to Friday 7am to 9pm, Saturday 7am to 6pm and Sunday 9am to 1pm.

Our nurses are very experienced in caring for children of all ages and we’ll work with you to ensure that your child has the best possible experience with us.

Main ward number: 01252 850216 (Ext. 1215)