Visiting your child
Visiting hours for parents and carers are not restricted but we ask all other visitors to leave by 8pm. If it is difficult for you to visit at these times, please speak to the nurse in charge who will be happy to discuss other options with you.
Please keep visitors to a minimum - 2 to 3 people at any one time is the maximum. This is for safety reasons and considerate towards the other children on the ward.
The doors to the ward are locked and operate on an intercom system. This is for the children’s safety. When you are let in or out, please ensure that no one follows you.
Press the doorbell and wait for someone to answer. Staff will respond as soon as they can but sometimes they are busy with the children so you may need to wait.
Please ensure you watch over all children who are visiting with you. These children remain your responsibility.
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Staying with your child
One parent or carer can stay overnight with their child. Reclining chairs are provided for you to sleep beside your child. Sometimes individual rooms are allocated if there is a risk of spreading infection to other children or if your child’s immune system is compromised.
Please tell staff if you need to take medication yourself whilst visiting your child. For safety reasons, all medication should be locked in the drug cupboard on the ward.
Please tell staff if you are unwell. There are situations where staying with your child is not possible and you may need to assign ask another carer to be with your child.
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Food and cultural needs
We offer a tempting menu of dishes to encourage children to eat and provide Kosher and Halal meals for children who require them. Staff can arrange food for special diets and there is a kitchen on the ward which parents can use to heat up food brought from home.
Meals are served at the following times:
- Breakfast 7.30am to 8:30am
- Lunch 12:30pm
- Evening 6pm
For visitors, the hospital has a coffee shop and restaurant and there are lots of shops and cafes nearby.
There is a multi faith chapel, Muslim prayer room and Sabbath room on the lower ground floor and a chaplaincy team is available to help meet the spiritual and religious needs of patients, staff and visitors.
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Clean and safe
Safety is our number one priority. The matron is responsible for hygiene, quality and safety and makes sure the highest standards are met. We are always looking at how we can further improve clinical safety and this work is led by a consultant paediatrician.
We rely on visitors help us by following these simple rules:
- Always wash your hands every time you enter and leave the ward. If your child is in a cubicle, use soap and water and hand gel when entering or leaving the cubicle and ward.
- If your child is given a separate room for infection control reasons, please ensure your child stays in the cubicle and that the door is kept closed. We appreciate it's difficult being confined to one room. If you need a nurse for any reason, please use the call bell. When leaving and entering the room, it is important to wash your hands and use the hand gel provided.
Domestic staff are an important part of the team on the ward. They keep areas spotless while also allowing children to play and cause a little chaos! Ward housekeepers help keep the wards tidy and well-stocked, serve children their meals and make drinks for parents, but we would appreciate if you would keep your child's bedside area as tidy as possible.
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Staff on the children’s ward
All members of staff wear a Royal Free photographic identification badge. Our nurses wear a navy blue, child-friendly tunic and blue trousers, whilst other members of the team wear their own clothes.
Student nurses have placements on the ward and a student nurse may be involved in caring for your child. All student nurses are supervised and are only allocated patients suitable to their level of training.
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Play therapists
The ward has a play room and play therapists who are specially trained to help children cope with any anxieties they may have about being in hospital. They can help children understand their illness, why they need to take medication and help distract them during procedures.
For many children, a visit to the children’s ward before they are admitted can help reduce any fears they have about coming into hospital. You can arrange this by phoning the play therapist on the children’s ward on 020 7794 0500 x33040.
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Playroom
The playroom is open from 9am to 4pm. Your child has to be accompanied by a responsible adult if a play therapist is not in the room.
You can take toys from the playroom to your child's bedside, but please ensure you return them as they can get broken when left lying around.
We also have a playroom just for adolescents with internet access, games, TV, DVDs, books and magazines.
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Royal Free school
Children don’t need to miss out on their schooling while they are an in-patient. Children between the ages of 5 and 16 who are well enough, can attend the Royal Free school which is next to the children’s ward. The school is managed by Camden Local Education Authority and has its own head teacher. Children who aren’t well enough to visit the classroom can have bedside sessions.
Education is about having fun as well as learning, and gives children a sense of normality during their stay.
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Mobile phones
Mobile phones are allowed in certain areas of the ward - but please ask the sister/charge nurse for permission to use a mobile phone on the ward. There are pay phones throughout the hospital - please ask a nurse for the nearest one.
Mobile phones can be used in communal areas of the hospital such as the coffee shop, corridors and reception areas.
You should not use your phone within two metres of a patient connected to electronic medical equipment. You may not use your mobile phone to take photographs on the ward or anywhere in the hospital.
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TV
TVs are switched off by 9pm to ensure children can rest. If there is a programme your child wants to watch that is on later than this, please discuss this with the nurse in charge.
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Smoking
Smoking is not allowed anywhere inside the hospital or in the hospital grounds. If you wish to smoke, you will need to go outside onto the main public street.
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Parking
The Royal Free has limited car parking and most nearby streets are residents parking only. We encourage parents and visitors to use public transport where possible.
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Facilities near the Royal Free
Within a short walk of the hospital there are a number of shops and cafes including a small Boots, Budgens, Marks & Spencer food store, banks, and pubs. Ward staff can advise you where best to find what you need.
Hampstead Heath is a short stroll away and makes a lovely getaway from the stress of the hospital. Your child may be allowed to go out with you depending on the reason for their admission. Please ask your nurse if you wish to do this. Feeding the ducks on the pond is a great stress reliever!
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We really do want your feedback, positive or negative. If you aren't happy with the care your child is receiving or you have any complaints about the ward, ask to speak to the ward sister or matron. We try to resolve any problems as soon as they arise.
Alternatively, you can contact the Patient Advice & Liaison Service (PALS) on the ground floor who will be happy to deal with any issues you may have.
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