Children's services

We provide a wide range of specialist and general services for children in our local community and further afield with one of the strongest general paediatric services in the country. 

Children who are referred to us or who become unwell and are admitted through the children’s A&E department benefit from the holistic care of the expert general paediatric service, supported by subspecialist clinicians. We aim to provide the best possible holistic services to infants, children and young people, whether they are acutely ill or living with a chronic condition.

In most instances a child should be seen first by a general paediatrician who will draw in subspecialist support as needed and will coordinate care linking in with the child’s GP (through the Connecting Care for Children programme) and other local services.

We ask that all children and young people attending this service come with a parent, carer or guardian, who will be present throughout all consultations unless the young person chooses to be seen alone.

Our practice follows the principles of the children's national service framework, a set of standards published by the government for health and social services for children and young people. 

Our children's services are primarily based at St Mary's Hospital, with the Great Western ward providing general paediatrics care, the children's intensive care providing critical care for children, the Westway ward providing paediatric day case surgery and the Grand Union ward providing paediatric oncology, haematology, bone marrow transplant and infectious diseases care. We also provide neonatal care on the Winnicott baby unit at St Mary's and the neonatal unit at Queen Charlotte's & Chelsea. 

Additional information

Prolonged jaundice clinic

We also have a prolonged jaundice clinic where newborn babies with prolonged neonatal jaundice can be referred directly by the health visitor or midwife to the dedicated clinic.

This clinic makes it easier to refer, reduces waiting times, provides a baby-friendly environment, and improves feedback of results to the health care worker and the family. To find out how to refer please see our referrals section here.

Children and young peoples' videos

Please take some time to watch these videos which help prepare toddlers, children and young people for their visit to hospital:

• Children and young people's videos – Age 0-6
• Children and young people's videos – age 7-12
• Children and young people's videos – age 13 plus 

Further online resources

• Connecting Care for Children

Patient information leaflets

• How to help your unwell child
• Extravasation injury
• Support Services for those coping with the loss of a baby or child
• COVID19 vulnerable children
• Dave the Dog is worried about coronavirus
• Coronavirus toolkit for families

NHS Choices feedback

We welcome your feedback on our children's services. You can leave a review on the Trust's NHS Choices page.