Barts and The London Children's Hospital | For patients, families and carers | Staying in hospital
Staying in hospital
This page gives information about where to go when you arrive at the hospital and what to expect on the ward.
What do we do when we arrive at the hospital?
When you arrive at the hospital, please go to the location indicated in your child’s admission letter. This may be the Admissions Office or you may sometimes be asked to go straight to the appropriate ward. You will be welcomed by staff and given more information while your child’s details are checked against our computer records.
What will happen on the ward?
Staying with your child
Being in hospital may be very upsetting and confusing for your child, so it is best if they have a parent or carer with them as much as possible. It will help if you can stay, at least for the first few nights. If you are unable to stay yourself, another carer may stay in your place by agreement with the ward staff. There are a limited number of single rooms available off the ward for parents or carers. Accommodation is also available in nearby Stevenson House in Ashfield Street, with direct phone lines to the wards.
How can I help my child?
You are an essential member if the team looking after your child. They will be happier if you are with them as much as possible, helping with dressing, feeding, bathtime and bedtime just as you would at home. It will help your child if you can be with them when any treatment is carried out, and afterwards to comfort them. Staff will tell you about any procedures and you can then explain to your child what is happening. You know your child best and can often explain their feelings and worries to staff.
Because you play a vital role in your child’s care, it is important that you speak to their doctor. Please find out from your child’s nurse at what time the doctor does his or her ward round so that you can be present.
Who can answer my questions?
Ask the doctor or ward staff to explain anything that you don’t understand or is worrying you. You are entitled to have clearly explained to you any treatment proposed for your child, including any risks involved in that treatment and any alternatives, before you decide whether to agree to it.
Student training and research
All our hospitals are involved in teaching students and in research work. Student doctors or other clinical staff in training are sometimes present on the ward or at outpatient clinics. You may be asked to discuss your child’s condition with students and to allow them to examine him or her. If you do not feel happy about this, please tell a member of staff. You have the right to refuse, without your child’s treatment being affected in any way.
Sometimes samples and/or specimens taken from your child during investigations, procedures or treatments may also be used for teaching, research, quality control checks and/or public health monitoring, in the future interests of all NHS patients. If you do not want samples to be used for these purposes, please make this clear to a member of the clinical team looking after your child.
Visiting
We positively encourage parents and carers to visit at any time. In the interests of other children on the wards, visiting hours for everyone else are from 10.00am to 6.00pm, when two visitors can be at the patient's bedside at one time. Brothers and sisters are welcome, but must not be left unsupervised.
Security
It's our responsibility to ensure that you and your child feel safe and secure while in hospital. To protect our patients, a security system is in operation on all wards. To enter, visitors must press a button and wait for the ward staff to answer. Every member of your child's healthcare team will introduce themselves and wear an identity badge.
Meals
Apart from those whose treatment requires a special diet, children have a daily choice of menu. This includes food that has been prepared and cooked according to their dietary needs, as well as to your custom or religious practice.
Schoolwork and play
We have play specialists and teachers assigned to each ward. A play specialist will help support your child before and after treatment and will also provide games and other activities during their stay. The hospital teachers will ensure your child doesn’t fall behind in their schoolwork if they are in hospital for a long time. It may be necessary to contact your child’s school for information.
Telephones
Each ward has a direct line telephone number which staff will give you when you arrive. It would help us greatly if you could ask only one relative or friend to ring the ward each day and then pass news of your child’s progress on to others.
There are payphones and direct lines to taxi companies on the ground floor of the outpatients department and in the main entrance to the Royal London Hospital.
Mobile phones
Mobile phones should not be used in some areas of the hospital as they can interfere with sensitive monitoring equipment and put lives at risk. Visitors should switch off mobile phones before entering the hospital.
Post
Post is delivered to and collected from the wards every day. Please make sure it is addressed correctly, using your child’s full name, the name of the ward and the full address of the hospital.
Toilets
There are public toilets throughout the hospital. There are also toilets for disabled people. Please ask a member of staff where you can find these.
Electrical equipment
Older children and parents wishing to bring in a hairdryer, electric shaver or any other electrical equipment must get these checked by a hospital electrician before use, to make sure they are safe. A member of the ward staff can arrange this for you.
What other general services are available in the hospital?
Chaplaincy
The hospital has chaplains of various faiths who are available to talk to you or your child and to offer advice, help and support. If you would like a visit from a chaplain, please tell a member of the ward staff or contact the chaplaincy direct on 020 7377 7385.
For patients or visitors who wish to pray or seek a quiet place, there is a chapel on the ground floor of the main hospital building and two Muslim prayer rooms with separate ablution facilities for men and women. Wherever possible, a quiet room will be provided for children who wish to pray, but who are too ill to attend the prayer rooms or chapel. Please ask a member of staff or contact the chaplaincy for more details.
Restaurants
Snacks, tea and coffee are available from the coffee shop on the ground floor of the outpatients department. The hospital restaurant, on the corner of Whitechapel Road and New Road, serves a wide range of snacks and hot and cold meals. It is open every day, 7.30am-7.00pm.
Shops
There is a newsagent in the main entrance to the hospital (open Monday to Friday, 7am-9pm, Saturday, 8am-6pm and Sunday, 8.30am-5.30pm). There is also a shop selling newspapers, sweets and toiletries in the main outpatients department, in Stepney Way.
Postbox
There is a postbox located inside the main entrance to the hospital.
Cash point
There is a cash point on the wall of the Medical College Student Union building, opposite the Outpatients Department, in Stepney Way.
No smoking policy
The hospital has a no-smoking policy as part of the Trust’s commitment to health and safety. Our aim is to provide completely smoke-free buildings and grounds.
