Child Health Department
The Child Health Department provides an integrated service for children
and families across East Dorset from a central base at Poole Hospital.
The Children's Unit provides expert paediatric treatment and assessment
for children referred via the Emergency Departments at both Bournemouth
and Poole Hospitals, GPs from across the whole of East Dorset, the Out
of Hours services across East Dorset and other health professionals who
require specialist support.
The unit provides comprehensive care for medical, surgical and orthopaedic conditions. Neonatal care is provided for babies born at Poole and Bournemouth maternity units and referrals are accepted from neighbouring districts needing intensive, high dependency or special care.
Services include:
Acute Paediatric Inpatient Facilities
The Children's Unit comprises two wards, Acrewood and Bearwood. They provide a comprehensive range of investigations and treatments for children from the age of 0 and up to, but not including 16 years old. The wards total 50 beds and children are nursed in teams in order to ensure continuity of care. The majority of work is medical and of an acute emergency nature. Surgical admissions for ENT, Maxillofacial, general surgery and orthopaedics are also managed on the Unit.
Children's Assessment & Day Case Unit
This 7-bed unit is open from 8.00 am to 12 midnight (the last admission is at 10 pm) Monday to Friday and from 10.00 am to 8.00 pm (the last admission is at 6.00 pm) on Saturday and Sunday. All acute paediatric referrals from GPs, Emergency Department and members of the Primary Care Team are managed through the Unit. The Unit is used to assess and initiate treatment for children prior to being admitted or sent home with an appropriate care plan and telephone support from senior nursing staff. Children also attend for Day Case treatment.
Children's Outpatient Department
This is where the majority of children's outpatient consultations take place in a child-friendly environment.
Children's Community Nursing Team
The aim of the Team is to provide support and expert nursing care for children at home, both following discharge from hospital and for those with long term life-threatening, life-limiting or terminal illness. Respite care in the home is also provided by trained healthcare support workers. The team also includes specialist nurses in Diabetes and Cystic Fibrosis. Neonatal community nurses also provide support and expertise with home oxygen for premature babies requiring this.
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
The Unit has a total of 20 cots, 4 of which provide intensive life support for premature and critically ill neonates. A further 6 cots are for high-dependency care, and the remaining 10 are in a special care nursery. The Unit is supported by a team of Neonatal Community Nurses and Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioners.
Paediatric Oncology Service
This specialist service has been developed in conjunction with Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust as part of a shared-care programme, enabling treatment of some childhood cancers to be delivered closer to home.
Paediatrics Therapies
The Child Development Centre offers services for the assessment, investigation and treatment of neuro-developmental problems. The centre caters for pre-school aged children from across East Dorset and their families. The multi disciplinary and medical assessments undertaken within the centre are key to the early identification of developmental delay in vulnerable infants.
Schools Therapy Team
The Schools Therapy Team are responsible for the assessment and treatment of School aged Children with disabilities. The experienced paediatric team consists of Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists who carry out their work in the hospital, school and home settings.
Community Paediatric Service
The team comprises Community Paediatricians who provide medical support within the local area and a medical service for pre-school and school children, children with special needs and the local special needs schools. An audiology and enuresis (nocturnal urinary incontinence) service is also provided.
Child Protection Services
Consultant Paediatrician-led, this 24 hour specialist service ensures co-ordination of a multi-agency approach to child protection, in conjunction with the Local Safeguarding Children Board.
Children's Therapy Services
Two dedicated teams of therapists provide a physiotherapy and occupational therapy service to children from Poole and the surrounding areas.