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Wirral University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Children's Ward

The Children’s Ward consists of both medical and surgical beds. The ward can provide a total of 32 beds including an Emergency Room, two High Dependency rooms and a treatment room. With 16 individual rooms and four bays. A bed will be allocated according to your child’s age and condition.

The children’s ward provides 24 hour inpatient treatment and day case care. It has been specifically designed to ensure all children and young people’s needs are catered for.

We offer a range of facilities for all children and their families. We have a playroom, play area and a dedicated Adolescent room where young people can access an excellent range of age appropriate activities.

The children’s ward provides a family room; here families are invited to relax in a quiet environment, there is vending machine where hot drinks can be purchased for a small charge. The patients don’t go into this area.

The children’s ward has open visiting hours for parent and family members. An adult must accompany all visitors under the age of 16.

Security

The child’s safety is paramount and we operate an electronic door opening system, ‘ELPAS’ via an intercom system in order to identify ward visitors.

To ensure everyone’s safety, please do not allow people to follow you in when you are entering the ward. All members of the Hospital Team wear identity badges, which should be always be visible.

Pre-Assessment

Any child coming in for planned surgery will be seen in pre-assessment clinic. This is held weekly on the ward by a dedicated experienced nurse who will introduce you to the facilities and talk to you and your family about your coming into hospital.

Hospital and Home Education

Education for children who are staying in hospital is provided by Wirral Hospitals' School and Home Education Service which is provided for reception to Year 11 years old. Staff are on the ward during the school term from 9:30am to 11 :45am.
If a child has to be absent from school for more than 3 weeks the Home Education Service can provide a service at home. 

Hospital at Home

The Children’s Hospital at Home Team consists of a group of experienced Children’s Nurses providing acute nursing care in the child’s home. The service is intended for children who could be nursed at home for all or part of their illness. Following admission to hospital, children who require further hospital care with the emphasis on nursing rather than medical intervention would be eligible for the scheme. Whilst on the scheme children and young people will have a designated consultant.

The Hospital at Home Team involves the whole family in planning and caring.

This  acute service operates 7 days a week 08.30-22.00. Eligibility for the service is assessed by strict crig for the child in the home. It is the aim of the Team to empower parents and carer’s by providing teaching and health promotion, allowing them to become partners in their child’s care.

Usual length of stay on the scheme is between 24-48 hrs usually followed by a 48 hour telephone access service.

The service is constantly developing and is able to care for children with a wide range of conditions including.

  • Fractured Femurs nursed in Tobruk Splints
  • Long term Intravenous antibiotic therapy
  • Oncology Patients
  • Surgical Patients
  • Dermatology Patients
  • Babies requiring short term oxygen therapy.

Feedback from service users has been positive, the most common theme stating that the service has allowed families to continue with normal life with minimal disruption.