Young People’s Guide
Please note, this page is printable by selecting the normal print options on your computer.
Overview of Children’s Services
At Milton Keynes University Hospital, we have special area or ward to look after children and young people if you need to stay in hospital.
We take care of children and young people up to the age of 16. All of our staff have special training in how to care for children and young people. You might hear them being called ‘paediatricians’ or ‘paediatric’ nurses or doctors which is a fancy way of saying they look after children and young people.
The Children’s Ward (Ward 5)
Ward 5 cares for children and young people who need to stay in hospital. We have 22 beds in this ward. It has a mixture of single rooms and bays with 6 beds in them. We try and put people of similar ages together if we can but you might find yourself next to all age groups. Each room /bed space has a chair/bed for a parent or carer to stay with you if you want them to and they are able.
On the ward we can look after children who are very poorly. In this area there are often lots of monitors and equipment that make lots of noise, bleeps and alarms- these help the nurses and doctors but can be annoying for you!
There are TV’s, DVDs, games and toys are available for all ages, and we have staff trained to arrange activities to keep you busy while you are on the ward.
Paediatric Assessment Unit (PAU) on Ward 4
PAU sees children and young people who have been sent to us from:
• Accident and Emergency
• The Urgent Care Centre
• By a Family Doctor
The unit is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
What happens when you arrive?
A nurse will ask you (and your parent/carer) some questions about why you are there. They will also do some tests called observations. Further tests may be done will depending on why you are in
hospital, but the nurses and doctors will tell you what they are doing and why. This is called ‘triage’.
Additional Information:
Triage means that we can decide who needs to be seen more quickly. There may be delays because of other sick children in the hospital. Nursing staff will always keep you up to date with how long you are likely to be waiting for. We will always try and see you as soon as possible. Once you have seen the nurse in triage, you will then be shown to a waiting area to see a Doctor. This might be a chair in a waiting area or a bed in our observation area, if you are not comfortable or are in pain PLEASE tell a Nurse straight away so they can help.
Seeing the doctor
The doctor might ask you to have further tests (investigations to try to find out what is wrong with you) such as:
• Blood tests
• X-ray
• Urine (wee) or stool (poo) samples.
The type and number of tests will depend on why you are in hospital. Your nurse or doctor will explain why the tests are needed, what will happen and what they are looking for. If there is anything you don’t understand, please ask your nurse or doctor.
Next Steps
After the doctor has seen you, you will be given a plan. The plan may say:
1. You can go home
2.Stay in the PAU a bit longer to see how you are getting on (further observation).
3. If the doctor thinks you need to have treatment or care in hospital, we will move you to ward 5 (which is the ward just next door).
4. If there are no beds on ward 5 you may need to stay on ward 4.
5.Sometimes it is necessary for you to go for specialist treatment at another hospital.
Paediatric Day Surgery (PDSU) – based in Ward 4
Coming into hospital for an operation:
The PDSU is open from Monday to Friday between 7.00am and 7.00pm. It is for children and young people who will be able to have their operation and go home on the same day. If you are not able to go home the same day you will be moved to a bed on Ward 5.
Additional Information
If you would like to visit the PDSU before your operation you are very welcome. Other children and their families have told us visiting the ward before they need to come for their operation helped take away some of the things they were worried about. You can arrange a visit at your pre-admission appointment, or by phoning 01908 996371.
Paediatric Day Care Unit (PDCU) – based in Ward 4
This unit is open Monday to Friday between 8:30am and 4.30pm. The Unit is where children and young people can have tests without needing to stay overnight. The people who work here are children’s Doctors and Nurses.
The types of tests children on this ward might have may include:-
• X rays
• Blood tests
• Treatment that can be done in less than 4 hours
The service is usually booked in advance as there is limited space available. Telephone number: 01908 996356.
Paediatric Community Nursing Team
We want you to be able to go home as soon as possible so we have a team of nurses called the community team. We know children and young people recover better in the comfort of your own homes.
The people this team look after include:
1.) Anyone who has been in hospital and needs care at home.
2.) Children and young people who have long-term illnesses and who live in the Milton Keynes area can be cared for by our specialist community nurses at home and in the wider community
(whenever possible).
The team look after children and young people with diabetes, asthma, cancer and sickle cell. They give children and young people a range of care and treatments. This team also can offer telephone advice and support after a stay in hospital. You will be given their contact details when you leave hospital.
Community Nursing Team Contact Details: Available Monday to Friday: 0830-1630.
Keeping you safe
Keeping you safe is very important to us. For this reason the children’s unit has a security door to get into and out of the area. When you arrive at the main entrance of the unit there is a bell on the left of the door. This bell needs to be pressed once; a member of staff will ask you or your visitors who you have come to see/or why you are here. The ward can be busy so you may have to wait for
a reply.
When you leave the ward you need to ask the staff at the Nurses’ station to let you out as the doors are locked to keep you safe.
Can I have someone stay with me on the ward? Yes. Parents and carers can visit you at any time day or night, although only one parent or carer (who must be aged over 16) can stay overnight. A reclining chair or bed is available for your parent or carer to sleep on. Bedding is available for 1 parent / carer to use but they may wish to bring their own. Please ask your parents to bring sensible loungers / PJ’s to sleep in as other people will be able to see them!
If your child is in a room you may be asked to keep your child in this cubicle and not mix with the other children on the ward. This is because they may have an infection that could spread to others. If this is the case staff will advise you about the special precautions we will need you to take.
When can other people visit?
Visiting time for other visitors is between 2pm and 8pm. Children and Young People under the age of 16 may visit only with an adult. Ward 5 is a very busy ward with little space around the beds and we ask for no more than two visitors at a time. We ask visitors not come to the ward after 8pm because we are trying to get the younger children to sleep after this time. Please let the nursing staff know if there is anyone you do not want to visit you while you are in hospital. If this changes at any time please tell the nursing staff.
Can I use my mobile phone on the ward? Yes. You can use your mobile phone on the ward but please have your phone on silent so you don’t disturb other patients. If you are taking pictures of yourself make sure no one else is in the picture, as they may not like it.
Entertaining Yourself
You are able to bring in your own Games, iPads, tablets, and hand held game consoles. Please remember you MUST look after your stuff while it is on the ward. If you would like support from the play team, please ask.
PARENTS: The Trust cannot be held responsible for loss or damage to personal property during your stay in hospital.
Food
We know when you’re ill that you might not want to eat much but we do have specials menus for you to choose from:
• Kosher and Halal meals are available for children who require them
• Children’s menu
• Adult menu
You can choose what you would like to eat from the menu. Please fill in a menu with what you have chosen (your parent/carer can help you if you need it) either the night before, or before 9:00am on the day the food is for.
The meal times are:
Breakfast – 8:00am onwards
Breakfast is either toast or cereal. If your parent or carer is around they can get you food from the trolley on the ward if you can’t help yourself or a staff member will be happy to help you. The parent/carer who has stayed with you overnight can also have breakfast from the trolley.
Snack Rounds – 10:00
Lunch – 12:00
From the menu you can make your choice of a hot meal or a sandwich
Snack Rounds – 15:00
Supper – 17:00
You can make your choice of supper from the menu.
Snack rounds – 19:30 if you are hungry
Additional Information:
Staff can arrange food for special diets – please ask. There is a kitchen on the ward which parents can use to heat up food brought from home.
Snacks
If you miss a meal or you are hungry at any other time, please ask your nurse who will be able to order a snack box for you. They have a selection of fruit which is also available on request.
Drinks
Water, squashes, tea or coffee are available at any time for you and your parents, please ask any member of staff. For your parents these drinks are available in the parents’ room on ward 5. If your parents/carers or visitors need a snack the hospital has a Costa coffee shop, a small shop selling food, drinks and magazines plus some toiletries and we also have a restaurant which serves hot and cold meals which is open 08:00-20:00. There is a cold water dispenser located on both wards 4 and 5.
There is also a “hydration station” on ward 4/ PAU that you or your parents / carer can use to make a hot drink. Payment for Parents and Visitors is made by honesty box located on top on the machine.
Meeting your cultural or religious needs
There is a multi-faith chapel in the hospital. A chaplaincy team is available to help meet the spiritual and religious needs of all patients, staff and visitors. If there are any other things we can do to
support you please ask your nurse.
Going home from hospital
When the doctor says you are well enough to go home you will be given a patient information leaflet and any other information that you need. You and your family will also be given a discharge letter which will say why you have been in hospital and what tests or treatment you have had, and any further treatments or appointments you will need.
When you go home you must be accompanied by parent or carer. Your family doctor will be sent a copy of this letter. If you have any further worries after you have left hospital please speak to your family doctor or ring the community nurse team on 01908 996518.
Consenting or agreeing for treatment or care in hospital
When anyone in hospital has a test or an operation, we must ask them for agreement/ consent. Part of this is that is making sure you understand why you need the test, care or operation, we need to tell you what will happen, and if there are any other choices or options. The law says that children aged below 16 cannot always give consent for themselves.
This means that your doctors and nurses will ask your parent or carer to give consent for you. We follow the rules that families of children under the age of 16 should be involved in making a choice
about their care, unless there is a very good reason for not doing so. The law does realise, that children and young people may be able to understand their condition, tests, and care. We hope you will be able to talk to your doctor or nurse about your care, your choices, and what you would like.
The rules around consent are very detailed. For more information, please see the NHS Choices website: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Consent-totreatment/Pages/Introduction.aspx or the General Medical Council (GMC)website: http://www.gmcuk.org/guidance/ethical_guidance/consent_guidance_index.asp
Keeping things private
Confidentiality
Staff have a duty to keep your information, and the details of your care confidential. That means that usually only the doctors and nurses looking after you will see the information. However, it is often helpful to share information with your parents / carers and families. They also have a duty to share information about your care with your GP, and other teams looking after you.
We would always discuss this with you before we share the information. That means in most cases you will be able to decide what information is shared. Very occasionally there may be times when staff are concerned about the safety of either yourself, or others. At these times staff may have to share confidential information with others, but they will always talk to you about it, and ask for your permission where possible.
Sometimes we need to share
They may have to share information about your care with your family doctor, and any other teams looking after you such as social workers. We would always discuss this with you before we share the information. That means in most cases you will be able to decide what information is shared. Sometimes if staff are concerned about the safety of either yourself, or others they may have to share confidential information with others, but they will always talk to you about it, and ask for your permission where possible.
Keeping you safe from bullying, violence, harm means we might need to share information. If you want to talk to someone about staying safe and safeguarding yourself or others you can phone
the Safeguarding Team on: Safeguarding team telephone number: 01908 995092.
Who do I speak to if I am happy or unhappy about my stay in hospital?
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trusts checks and reviews links and content to external websites at the time patient information goes to print. Please note, links and content on external websites may be changed, updated, or removed.
We like to know what we do well, and where we could do better. We can only find this out if you tell us!
There are several ways to tell us what you think:
1. Tops (What we do good) and pants (what we need to improve on).
2. Friends and family test- All patients should be offered the chance to complete the hospital’s Friends and Family Test, which asks a couple of simple questions about what you thought of the
care we gave you. Please ask a member of ward staff for a leaflet, if you are not offered one.
3.Speak to the Matron.
4.Patient Experience Team – You can phone our Patient Experience Team for information and advice on: 01908 996260.
5. If you wish to formally write to us please address your letter or email to the ‘Patient Experience Team’. Email: [email protected] Via Post: Patient Experience Team, Milton Keynes Hospital Foundation Trust, Standing Way, Eaglestone, Milton Keynes, MK5 6LD.
Who to speak to?
There will always be staff here who can talk with you about any worries you may have. All our staff are trained to help keep children and young people safe. You can access more information from the following sites:
Milton Keynes Safeguarding Children Board: www.mkscb.org
Keep yourself and your friends safe.
Buckinghamshire Safeguarding Children Board: http://www.bucks-lscb.org.uk/children-youngpeople/
Staying safe on the web – Childnet’s young people’s pages:
http://www.childnet.com/young-people/secondary
There’s also a great site called Thinkuknow, which has information especially for young people. When you visit the site, click on your age range to begin exploring the information. http://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/
And don’t forget that ChildLine offers a free, private helpline for young people across the country on 0800 1111. You can talk to their counsellors about any problem, and they are always there to help you sort things out. They can also be found on the web at: http://www.childline.org.uk/Pages/Home.aspx
Health Advice
If you would like information about food, exercise, and other things to help you and your family live a healthy lifestyle, the Change4Life website has loads of information: www.nhs.uk/Change4Life
Are you a Young Carer?
Young Carers are children and young people who care for someone in their own home who is ill, has a physical or mental disability, or drug or alcohol problems. For more information go to ‘Young Carers Bucks’, who can provide support for young carers age 6-18 in Milton Keynes or Buckinghamshire: http://www.youngcarersbucks.org/
As well as offering support and information, they have trips & activities and Young Carers Clubs. They can also help you find other services who may be able to help you too.
Other Services That You Can Use
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
What is CAMHS?
CAMHS stands for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service. It’s a service that helps children and young people up to the age of 18 who are finding it hard to cope with everyday life because of difficult feelings, behaviour or relationships. Most of the time when we are sad, angry, stressed or worried these feelings pass within a few days. But if they go on for a while and stop us enjoying
and coping with life, then CAMHS can help. Just as we go to the doctors when we are physically ill, sometimes we need extra help with our mental health. http://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/service/milton-keynescamhs/
Telephone: 01908 724228 for all new referrals. Existing patients should call 01908 724544. Email: [email protected]
You can use this space to make notes and personalise this leaflet.
Glossary of Terms
Feedback that was given by a group of young people asked that there be a glossary of terms that might be used.
ADVOCACY: This is when someone gives you support, enabling you to express your views and concerns. This could be by helping you to access information and services, or by defending and
promoting your rights and responsibilities.
CONFIDENTIALITY: Spoken, written, acted on, etc., in strict privacy or secrecy; a secret. Staff must keep your details of care confidential (Private, or only share with people who you have given
permission to).
CONSENT: Agreement or permission to do or allow something. The Doctors and Nurses looking after you may ask for your consent or your parents’ consent to share information with other people (your family or school for example) or your consent to accept treatment, or for an operation.
PARENTAL CONSENT: If you are over the age of 16 you are entitled to consent to your own treatment. If you are under the age of 16 then parental consent is required.
REFERRAL: To send or direct to a source for help.
CLINICIAN: A health care professional who gives care to a patient in a hospital, skilled nursing facility, clinic, or patient’s home.
CARE PROGRAMME APPROACH: A way of making sure the care you are given meets your needs. The care plan aims to ensure that everyone supporting you knows what helps during times of
distress, and what everyone needs to do to help your recovery. We will look at the care plan with you to make sure it is always up-to-date and correct.
DISORDER: A physical, mental health or functions sickness; malady or dysfunction.
RISK: A chance of getting hurt or losing something.
ASSESSMENT: A judgment, valuation or evaluation.
REVIEW: A looking back over past events, memories, or facts.
OUTCOME: A result of something. For mental health services this means the impact that healthcare has on you, and the results of what has been done.
ROUTINE OUTCOME MEASURE (ROM): Tools which measure the results of your care: This could be your satisfaction as a patient, or a graph to show whether the process makes you feel better or worse. It could also be setting your own goals and keeping track of them.
PRACTITIONER: A registered health care professional with advanced training who specialises in certain medical practices or therapies under the supervision of a doctor.