Children's kidney and hypertension

About

Our children’s kidney unit at St Mary’s Hospital provides a service for the investigation and treatment of children and young people with conditions affecting the kidneys and urinary system, and with high blood pressure. We work closely with Great Ormond Street Hospital for complex kidney problems.

Conditions we treat

• antenatally-detected kidney disorders
• complex urinary tract infections
• proteinuria (excess protein in the urine)
• nephrotic syndrome
• haematuria (blood in the urine)
• acute and chronic glomerulonephritis
• acute and chronic kidney injury
• bladder disorders

Further online resources

• NHS Choices – Tips for parents of kids with kidney disease
• NHS Choices – Urinary tract infections in children
• Kidney Research UK
• Kids Kidney Research 
• World Kidney Day
• British Association of Paediatric Nephrology

Clinics

Our children's kidney and hypertension service holds clinics at St Mary's Hospital.

Children's kidney and hypertension clinics at St Mary's Hospital

Address

Paediatrics department
Sixth floor
Queen Elizabeth Queen Mother (QEQM) building
St Mary’s Hospital
Praed Street
London W2 1NY

Hours

Tuesday mornings

Contact information

Phone: 020 3312 6252

Children's kidney and hypertension clinics at Hammersmith Hospital

Address

Children's outpatients 
Ground floor
Block D
David Harvey unit
Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea Hospital 
Du Cane Road 
London W12 0HS

Hours

Friday mornings

Contact information

Phone: 020 3312 6218

Contacting our clinic in an emergency

To urgently contact the renal team call switchboard on 020 3312 6666 and ask for bleep 6205. To contact the renal clinical nurse specialist, Karen Daubney, please call 020 3312 3718.

Meet the team

Our service is managed by children's kidney and hypertension specialists.

Clinical nurse specialist

Our service is led by Mrs Karen Daubney, renal clinical nurse specialist

Patient information

Find out what to expect when you come to hospital for your child's kidney and hypertension appointment.

Before your appointment

Certain children taking some specific medicines that require regular monitoring of blood levels (e.g. tacrolimus, mycophenilate mofetil) should not take the morning dose of their medication on the day of the appointment so that we can accurately measure blood levels. Please contact the clinic if you are not sure if this applies to your child.

Please remember to bring your child’s ‘red book’ and check your appointment letter for anything specific you have been asked to take with you. In addition, it would be helpful if you could bring the following:

• your full address and telephone number(s)
• your appointment card and appointment letter
• your GP’s name and address
• a list of questions you may want to ask your consultant

During your appointment

Please note that we are a teaching hospital, so medical students may be present for some appointments. If you do not wish to have them in the room please let the nurse or doctor know and the students will be asked to step outside.

At the appointment your child’s height, weight and blood pressure will be measured. A urine sample will also be collected and tested each time as part of the routine monitoring of all patients.

At the first visit a detailed medical history will be taken and your child will be examined.

If a blood test is required, these will be performed by our trained and experienced paediatric staff. Before the blood test, anaesthetising cream or spray will be applied to the appropriate area so that the blood test is painless.

After your appointment

If your child needs to be admitted to hospital for investigations we will plan and manage these to make sure the time spent in hospital is kept to a minimum and that these investigations take place on a date that is suitable for the family.

Referrals

Find out how to refer patients to our children's kidney and hypertension service.

GP

Please use NHS e-Referrals to refer a patient to our children's kidney and hypertension service.

Urgent referrals

For urgent referrals please contact Dr Amin via 020 3312 6252 or contact the paediatric renal registrar by calling switchboard on 020 3312 6666 and asking for bleep 6205.

Before referral

If the child is being referred because of a history of recurrent urine infections please send the details of any urine tests done and the full microbiological reports.

GP advice

If you have questions about a patient or a referral, please call 020 3312 6252.