Patient & Parent Information

Our service covers Doncaster and Bassetlaw hospital sites.

On the Children’s Observation Unit, a team of Nursing and Medical staff will assess your child. The staff on the ward will keep you up to date with any plan made from this assessment, however please feel free to ask any questions. If your child does not require a hospital admission you will be discharged from CHOU with advice to care for your child. If your child will be admitted for less than 24 hours, they will remain on the CHOU. When it is expected that your child will require a longer admission, they will be transferred to the Children’s Ward.

Doncaster Children’s Observation Unit (CHOU) Tel: 01302 642781

If your child is admitted to the Children’s Ward a plan of care will be devised by the medical team. This will be discussed with you, reviewed regularly and adjusted appropriately to your child’s condition. The staff on the ward will keep you up to date with this plan, however please feel free to ask any questions regarding it.

Doncaster Children’s Ward Tel: 01302 642773

On CAU a team of Nursing and medical staff will assess your child. The staff on the unit will keep you up to date with any plan made from this assessment, however please feel free to ask any questions. If your child does not require a hospital admission you will be discharged with advice to care for your child. If your child requires admission to an inpatient service then they will be transferred to Doncaster Royal Infirmary.

Children’s Ambulatory Care Unit (CAU) Tel: 01909 572284

If your child has been admitted to the Children’s Surgical Unit it is to undergo a planned surgical procedure. For some procedures your child will be discharged from the Surgical Unit on the same day.

If the procedure requires your child to have an overnight stay, they will then be transferred to the Children’s Observation Unit after a minimum recovery period following their operation. In these cases one parent/carer is allowed to stay overnight with the child.

Doncaster Children’s Surgical Unit Tel: 01302 643325

Your Opinion Counts

The Children’s Service welcomes you and your child’s suggestions and compliments via the ‘Your Opinion Counts’ forms which are available from staff on the ward. Please do not hesitate to complete one of these forms. If you would like us to respond to your comments there is a space on the form for you to leave your name and address. The ward manager will send you a reply within 14 days.

To ensure that we get the views of all our service users we have devised patient and parent experience surveys for the following groups:

• Young Child
• Young person
• Parent

Sharing of Information

As and when necessary, nursing and medical staff have a duty to share information with other agencies, including social care and health visitors with respect to the welfare of all children.

If you would like to discuss this further, please speak to the nurse caring for your child.

Any Worries?

If you have any concerns about any aspect of your stay in hospital please initially approach the nurse caring for your child. Alternatively you can speak to the nurse in charge of the ward to allow the opportunity to resolve your concerns.

Patient Experience Team

The team are available to help with any concerns/complaints you may have about your experience at the Trust. Their office is in the Main Foyer (Gate 4) of Doncaster Royal Infirmary. Contact can be made either in person, by telephone or email.

The contact details are:
Telephone: 01302 642764 or 0800 028 8059
Email: dbth.pals.dbh@nhs.net

Useful Information

Car Parking

Within the hospital grounds there are a number of pay and display car parking spaces. If your child is in hospital for more than a day you can obtain a weekly parking permit at a reduced rate. Please ask a member of staff.

At Doncaster there is a free park & ride service from the Racecourse to the Emergency Department entrance.

There are also free shuttles between Doncaster and, Montagu and Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals.

Parking outside the Hospital grounds is restricted and regularly patrolled.

Chaplaincy Service

Hospital chaplains work together as a team and, while having responsibility for a particular Christian tradition, operate across religious and denominational boundaries and with those of no religion. Please ask if you would like to see a chaplain.

Smoking

We have a no-smoking policy, which includes the use of E-cigarettes. The Trust’s buildings and grounds are smoke free. If you would like advice on stopping smoking, please approach a member of staff who will be able to contact a smoking cessation nurse on your behalf.

Property

We do our best to take care of your property but regret we cannot be responsible for your items that are not handed to your nurse for safekeeping. Parents are responsible for their own property including mobile telephones.

Visiting

Parents can visit any time, and we encourage parents to be resident.

Two visitors per child can be present in addition to the parents at any one time, (allowing more visitors is at the discretion of the nurse in charge). If the ward area is busy, we may ask you to reduce this number.

All visitors under the age of 17 have to be accompanied by an adult.

Privacy and Dignity

Whilst visiting patients on the ward we ask parents and visitors to respect the privacy of others and not to comment on any children other than the patient they are visiting. If you have any concerns regarding privacy and dignity please discuss them with the nurse caring for your child. If you are taking any recordings, photographs or videos on the ward, can you please ensure that these do not include any other patients or staff.

Security and Safety

For your child’s safety all wards and corridors have security coded locked doors and an intercom entry system. To gain entry to the ward please press the buzzer and say which patient you are visiting and who you are. Please be patient, the nurse may be busy with your child or another patient on the ward.

Please ensure the door is closed behind you to prevent visitors entering without the nurses’ knowledge.

Please inform nursing staff if you wish to take your child off the ward.

Medication Safety

All medications for children or resident parents/visitors must be handed to the nurses on admission. There are facilities for medication to be kept securely in either the child’s room or in the nurses’ trolley. Please see the nurse looking after your child for local facilities, or if you have any questions.

Consultant

The Consultant co-ordinates the medical care of your child. They are the most experienced and qualified of the doctors. The Consultant may not see your child on a daily basis but the Specialist Trainee will keep them up to date with your child’s progress.

Consultants care for different specialties:

• Paediatric: Children
• Orthopedic: Bones
• Ophthalmic: Eyes
• Surgeons: Surgical
• ENT: Ear, nose & throat

Specialist Trainee

The Specialist Trainee is an experienced doctor who works closely with the Consultant. They are the first point of contact for Core Trainee Doctors. The Specialist Trainee oversees the day- to-day running of the unit workload, reporting regularly to the Consultant with an up to date plan of care.

Core Trainee Doctor

Responsible for the initial assessment and commencement of the treatment of your child. They are also responsible for the routine ward duties and work under the supervision of the ST and Consultant with regards to the condition and care of your child.

Medical Students

Medical Students undertake clinical placements as part of their training and this includes assessing patients. If they would like to assess your child they must ask your permission before they do so. You can choose to decline this on your child’s behalf.

Hospital Teaching Service

Within the children’s services, there is a school provision for children who are well enough to be educated whilst they are in hospital.

Each morning there is a ward round and the nurses decide who is well enough to receive education. Some children come to class and some are taught beside their bed. We cater for all children from reception to the end of year 11. We aim to cover all aspects of the curriculum. If your child is in hospital for three or more days we will contact their school and find out what work they should be doing.

We can facilitate pupils taking GCSE exams in hospital.

It is requested that parents and visitors do not sit on the patient’s bed, as this is a potential infection risk.

Tips to help prevent infection:

• On entering the ward, please ensure you wash your hands using the sink nearest your child.
• If you feel unwell, please refrain from visiting the ward and advise other family members/friends to do the same.
• If your child is infectious or vulnerable to infection you will be advised to stay in your cubicle.

Infection control is taken very seriously by the ward team.

Please inform the nurse looking after your child if you have any concerns regarding infection prevention and control.

Who’s Who?

Senior Sister

A Senior Sister manages and has overall responsibility for the clinical ward area. They lead patient care, supporting children and their families. Senior Sisters manage the nursing staff and ensure that the ward is a suitable environment for Student Nurses to learn and progress on their training. The Senior Sister also has responsibility for the safety and cleanliness of the ward environment and Infection Control. If there are any concerns about your child or the ward, please address the issues with the Senior Sister or any member of staff in Senior Sister’s absence.

Matron

Assures high standards of clinical care and ensures services are working to deliver this in a safe environment. The Matron is accessible to families for advice.

Staff Nurse

In the clinical areas on a day to day basis children and young people have an allocated registered nurse responsible for their care. The nurse will introduce themselves at the beginning of each shift and it is their responsibility to ensure your child receives the appropriate treatment and monitors your child’s condition.

Healthcare Assistant

HCA’s work alongside Staff Nurses and assist in delivering care and monitoring your child. They are key members of the team helping to care for your child.

Play Leader

Play leaders are available Mon-Fri to provide play activities and distraction for children who are not attending school.

House Keeper

As part of the team, the house keepers assist in all none clinical tasks, ensuring all ward areas are fully stocked and functional.

Ward Clerks

Ward clerks are located at the Nurses station where you enter the ward. They have many clerical duties to assist in the efficient running of the ward.

Service Assistant

Service Assistants undertake the cleaning duties on the ward.

Breastfeeding Mothers

If your baby is currently dependent on breast feeding, your meals will be available to you free of charge. A member of staff will provide you with a menu offering you a choice of meals. It is important whilst breast-feeding to maintain an adequate fluid intake. Please ask a member of staff to fill your water jug as required.

Provision of Formula Milks

The unit has a small supply of first stage formula milks only. It is advised that you fetch any specialty milk formulas or second stage formula milks your baby needs in to hospital.

Children’s Meals

There is a choice of meals available for all children. Longer stays – on Children’s Ward and A3, there are two menus available. If you do not like the children’s menu choice, then please request the main menu.

Approximate meal times:
Breakfast 08.00 – 08.30 Lunch 12.00 Tea 17.00

Snacks are available to patients throughout the day. Please ask a member of staff if you require one for your child.

Parent’s Meals

Breakfast

Toast and a hot drink are available on the ward to the parents/carers that have been resident overnight.

Dining Rooms

• East Block dining room, DRI. 08.00 – 19.00
• Dining room, Main entrance, BDGH. 07.45 – 19.00

Coffee Shops

• Women’s & Children’s Hospital, DRI. Monday – Friday 09.00 – 16.00
• Main Foyer, DRI. Monday – Friday 09.00 – 19.30 Saturday – Sunday 12.15 – 17.00
• Outpatients, BDGH. Monday – Friday 09.30 – 16.30

Pink meal tickets are available from staff, which allows parents to purchase a meal at a reduced cost from the Hospital Dining Rooms. Meal Tickets are not valid in the coffee shops.

Identified areas are available for parents and visitors to make tea and coffee in all areas. These amenities are accessible 24 hours a day, please inform a member of staff when tea/coffee needs to be replenished. Drinks may be taken back to the ward areas however please be careful whilst carrying them and ensure they are not left unattended. Parents and visitors on CHOU, CAU and the Children’s Ward may also use the dining areas to eat your own food.

Unfortunately due to health and safety considerations parents and visitors are not able to use the kitchen facilities.

Within the Parent’s room there is a fridge for your use (situated between the CHOU and Children’s Ward at Doncaster). Any food placed within the fridge must be dated and labelled and remains your responsibility.

Parent’s Overnight Facilities

We encourage families to stay with their child at all times. Facilities are available for you to be with your child during their admission. Each bedside has a reclining chair or sofa bed for parents or carers who need to stay overnight. Linen and towels are available however it is advised that toiletries are brought in from home. A hairdryer is available on request.

Pain Control

Parents and carers play an important role in the care of their child when they are admitted to Hospital and we are always aware that parents and carers know their child best.

If your child experiences any pain during their stay this will obviously be a concern for you. The Nursing Staff will work in partnership with parents and carers to ensure your child remains as comfortable and as pain free as possible during their stay.

Your child’s age, gender, culture and previous experiences will affect how they react to pain. Some experiences can appear more traumatic to your child if they are frightened, alone or tired. It may help if you are able to bring in your child’s favourite toy, teddy or comfort blanket as these can sometimes ease any anxiety your child may be experiencing.

Your child’s pain will be assessed by the nursing team using the appropriate self- assessment pain tool for their age. The pain assessment tools are kept in a file by each child’s bed. Pain relief will be provided as required for your child and the nursing staff will monitor how effective this has been.

On discharge, advice will be given regarding your child’s pain relief.

Advice is always available from the nurse caring for your child if you are worried about any aspect of your child’s care or pain relief requirements once at home. You will find the relevant phone numbers on your discharge advice leaflet.

Infection Control

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