The details below are for children’s hospitals; for general hospitals with children’s wards, families should ask for the main information point, or should check individual hospital websites, links to which are available at Web: http://www.nhs.uk/root/localnhsservices/orgs/hospitals

Aberdeen

Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital
Westburn Road
Aberdeen
AB25 2ZG
Tel: 0845 456 6000
e-mail: carol.cameron@arh.grampian.scot.nhs.uk
e-mail: i.pucci3@nhs.net
Web: http://www.nhsgrampian.org
For information about services at the hospital, families should contact the Community Children’s Nurses. There is accommodation for all families at the hospital and a range of specialist nurses. Specialist community nurses work to ensure that children can be treated at home if at all possible. There is also a range of secondary and tertiary services provided to the children of Orkney and Shetland, with some links to Highland and Tayside.

Brighton

Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital
Eastern Road
Brighton
BN2 3JN
Tel: 01273 696 955
Web: http://www.bsuh.nhs.uk
Families can contact the Lead Nurse (Paediatrics), for general information about the hospital’s services. There is a Ronald McDonald House providing free ‘home away from home’ accommodation for families of children having in-patient treatment. Please contact the House Manager, to check for availability of rooms, Tel: 01273 205684.

Belfast

Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children
180 Falls Road
Belfast
BT12 6BE
Tel: 028 9063 3139 (General office)
Web: http://www.belfasttrust.hscni.net
Families information needs can be obtained by contacting the hospital’s general office. The hospital has a Citizen’s Advice Bureau office. There is a Sargent Cancer Care for Children House which provides accommodation for families of children having cancer treatment. There is also range of other accommodation available at the hospital for families.

Birmingham

Birmingham Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Steelhouse Lane
Birmingham
B4 6NH
Tel: 0121 333 9999
Tel: 0121 333 8403 (PALS service)
Tel: 0121 333 8505 (Child and Family Information Centre)
Tel 0121 333 8016 (Interpreting Services Team)
e-mail: child.infoctr@bch.nhs.uk
Web: http://www.bch.nhs.uk
The Child and Family Information Centre provides a free and confidential information service for everyone. Information is provided on a range of topics including childhood illness/disability, signposting to local and national support groups, child safety, adolescent issues, and general health promotion. The information booklet ‘A guide to your child’s stay at Birmingham Children’s Hospital’ gives families general information about hospital services and facilities. Further information, including directions to the hospital is also available through the website. Onsite self catering accommodation is available. Priority is given to parents/carers of long stay patients or for those families who are travelling a long distance. For more information please contact the Parent Accommodation Manager on Tel: 0121 333 8450.

Bristol

Bristol Royal Hospital for Sick Children
Paul O’Gorman Building
Upper Maudlin Street
Bristol
BS2 8BJ
Tel: 0117 342 8461
e-mail: bchinfo@ubht.swest.nhs.uk
Web: http://www.ubht.nhs.uk/bch
The hospital has a very good information booklet that can be downloaded from the web site. Details of the specialties of the hospital and of the facilities of all the wards are also available. The hospital has a Family Information Room which provides written, verbal or electronic information to support parents and patients before, during and after treatment.

Cardiff

The Children’s Hospital for Wales
University Hospital of Wales
Heath Park
Cardiff
CF14 4XW
Tel: 029 2074 7747
Web: http://www.cardiffandvale.wales.nhs.uk
The Children’s Hospital for Wales is based at the University Hospital of Wales. Accommodation for families of children receiving treatment can be arranged. Information about the location of the hospital and facilities at the hospital are on the main Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust website.

Edinburgh

Royal Hospital for Sick Children
9 Sciennes Road
Edinburgh
EH9 1LF
Tel: 0131 536 0070 (Family Support Services)
e-mail: kate.mitchell@luht.scot.nhs.uk
Information is available to families through the Family Support staff who provide practical and emotional support to families with a child in hospital. There are three parent units run by the service providing facilities for both residential and non-residential parents. Accommodation is provided on a priority basis. Directions and maps can also be obtained here. CLIC villa is available to both residential and non-residential families of haematology/oncology patients. The Special Needs Information Point (SNIP) provides emotional support and information on a wide range of issues including medical conditions and benefits. A text phone is available for parents and young people with a hearing impediment. To contact SNIP, Tel: 0131 536 0583 e-mail: snip@btinternet.com

Glasgow

Royal Hospital for Sick Children
Family Support & Information Service Women’s & Children’s Directorate
Dalnair Street
Glasgow G3 8SJ
Tel: 0141 201 0707 (Family Information Centre)
e-mail: family.information@yorkhill.scot.nhs.uk
Web: http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/yorkhill
The Family Support & Information Centre offers emotional, practical support & information for families who have a child in hospital. The centre offers a drop in facility for support & information. There is a quiet area and also an area for information leaflets please feel free to contact if you require further information.

Liverpool

Royal Liverpool Children’s NHS Trust
Alder Hey
Eaton Road
Liverpool
L12 2AP
Tel: 0151 252 5161 (PALS service)
Tel: 0151 228 4811 ext. 3809 (Child and Family Information Centre)
Web: http://www.alderhey.org.uk
On the parents and carers pages of the Trust website there is a copy of ‘Welcome to Alder Hey’ booklet that contains a host of useful information including maps and directions to the hospital as well as accommodation arrangements. The Trust has a Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) service which provides information and advice on Trust services, and a host of health and care information to enquirers. The Parents and Carers Council and Children’s and Young People Council are well established in the Trust and continue to work with staff to make ‘Alder Hey an even better place’.

London

Evelina Children’s Hospital
St Thomas’ Hospital
Westminster Bridge Road
London
SE1 7EH
Tel: 020 7188 7188
e-mail: kic@gstt.nhs.uk
Web: http://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk
The Evelina Children’s Hospital is based at St Thomas’ Hospital in London. It has an extensive website with information detailing the hospital’s location, facilities and hospital school. There are pull-out beds in the hospital where a parent can stay. For information about Ronald McDonald House; accommodation for families of children receiving treatment at the hospital, ask the nurse in charge.

Great Ormond Street Hospital
London
WC1N 3JH
Tel: 020 7405 9200
Tel: 020 7813 8151 Family Services Department
Tel: 020 7829 7862 PALS
e-mail: pals@gosh.nhs.uk
Web: http://www.gosh.nhs.uk/pals
There are downloadable fact sheets and a large amount of useful information on the website which give details of both the hospital and the Institute of Child Health.
Web: http://www.ich.ucl.ac.uk (For ‘adults’).
Web: http://www.childrenfirst.nhs.uk (With separate sections for ‘tots’, ‘kids’ and ‘teens’).
The hospital is able to provide on-site and off-site accommodation for over 1,000 parents of children having in-patient care. Accommodation is guaranteed for two parents with children in ITU (intensive care unit) and guaranteed for one parent with children in other wards. There are downloadable factsheets and a large amount of useful information on the website which give details of both the hospital and the Institute of Child Health. The PALS department is able to provide information about any matter relating to treatment at the hospital.

Manchester

Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital
Hospital Road
Pendlebury
Manchester
M27 4HA
Tel: 0161 727 2903 (PALS service)
Tel: 0161 794 4696
Web: http://www.cmft.nhs.uk

Booth Hall Children’s Hospital Charlestown Road
Blackley
Manchester
M9 7AA Tel: 0161 220 5555 (PALS service)
Fax: 0161 220 5557
Web: http://www.cmmc.nhs.uk/childrens-hospitals/home.aspx
The hospitals have Family Counsellors and a Family Care Team. Advice, information and support is available for patients and families when a child is in hospital. Both hospitals have a PALS services. There is a very good parent information leaflet on the hospitals’ joint web site.

Sheffield

Sheffield Children’s Hospital
Western Bank Sheffield
S10 2TH
Tel: 0114 271 7594 (PALS service)

Fax: 0114 276 6073
e-mail: linda.towers@sheffch-tr.trent.nhs.uk
Web: http://www.sheffieldchildrens.nhs.uk
Information about services at the hospital, and to help resolve concerns, can be obtained from the PALS service. There is accommodation for parents and a very informative web site.