Paddington Ward
Contact details
Telephone: 01604 545519
Paddington Ward
Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust
Cliftonville
Northampton NN1 5BD
How to find us
Paddington ward is located in area M, (West entrance). The nearest car parks are 3 and 4. Disabled car parking is available in area K. Admission to the children’s wards and neonatal intensive care unit is through swipe-controlled doors.
Click here for the hospital map
What are the visiting times for the ward?
For parents 8am - 8pm(allowing for 1 resedential parent).
Open visiting on the weekends with arrangement with the ward.
To prevent the spread of infection please do not visit if you yourself are unwell as we do not have facilities to care for sick adults. Brothers and sisters may visit but need to be supervised by their parents at all times. Children may visit a friend on the children’s wards but will need to be supervised. Siblings and other visitors are not permitted to stay overnight.
What should I do when I get to the ward?
Please report to ward reception upon arrival.
Where should I park?
Reduced parking charges are available for parents of children receiving treatment at the hospital when 24 hours parking can be purchased for the same cost of a 3 hour ticket. Please ask staff for details.
What your child will need whilst in hospital
We know that children like to have their own familiar things around them, and this is especially true when they are feeling unwell. Please bring their special comforters, teddies, blankets and small toys with you as this can make your childs experience a little better.
You will also need to bring items for yourself if staying overnight. We would ask you to be mindful of our limited storage space on the ward and please limit these to a small weekend size bag.
A child can have one primary care giver (parent) who can stay 24/7 with their child and ONE other designated adult (usually the other parent) permitted to visit between the hours of 08:00 and 20:00.
Only in exceptional circumstance's may additional visitors be permitted and this will be at the ward managers discretion.
Parents will be asked to wear a face mask at all times and if displaying any viral respiratory symptoms on arrival to the wards will be advised to leave.
Other items to bring include:
- Your admission letter
- The contact details of your child’s GP.
- A small amount of money
- Proof of entitlement to benefits, if appropriate
- Glasses or hearing aids
- All medicines that your child is taking, this includes inhalers and any alternative medications that you have brought such as herbal remedies.
- If your child holds a special card giving details of any current treatment, such as a steroid or anticoagulant card, you should also bring this with you. If your child is admitted to the hospital as an emergency, please arrange for their tablets and medicines to be brought in as soon as possible.
- Day and night clothes
- A toothbrush, soap, shampoo and any other toiletries
- A towel and a face cloth
- Nappies if your child uses them
- Your child’s special toy or comforter. The staff will label this with your child’s name when they are admitted.
- Any mobility aids that your child uses such as crutches or wheelchair.
- Items of religious importance for you and your child.
Other information
On admission you will be asked about your child’s feeding habits. Please tell the ward staff if your child has any allergies or intolerances to certain foods or special dietary needs, for example vegetarian, coeliac, halal, kosher.
We provide three meals day, approximate times which depend on individual ward requirements are:
Breakfast 7.45am – 8.30am
Lunch 11.45am – 1.00pm
Supper 5.00pm – 6.00pm
Light snacks and hot drinks are available on the ward. Please ask at any time.There is an ‘out of hours’ meal service for children arriving on the ward after the official mealtimes have ended.
Cooled drinking water is also available.
During mealtimes clinical activity is reduced as much as possible to allow your child to eat their meals in a pleasant and undisturbed manner.
The ward has a nicely decorated parent’s room where eating and drinking facilities are available. This is a child free zone. We ask for the safety of children that hot drinks are not taken into the ward area unless they have a secure lid. Once the lights are out at night we would ask parents to watch any television in the parents room and not at the bedside. This is to help prevent children being subjected to inappropriate TV being viewed in their rooms. Photography is not permitted on the children's ward without prior permission and we would ask that mobile phone use is limited to the parents room only.
About the team
Medical cover is provided by a team of consultant paediatricians and specialists surgeons, registrars and other junior doctors. We are a training hospital and at times you may be asked if your child can be seen by a medical student.
The nursing staff are led by the ward manager. Most nurses have a qualification in children’s nursing, and some have additional qualifications. There are also hospital play specialists, nursery nurses, health care assistants and ward receptionists in the team. Student nurses are also on placement on the ward. The team is supported by the practice development facilitator for paediatrics.
Ward manager: Christine Woods
Paediatric clinical lead: John Hewertson
High dependency lead: Alison Hart
Paddington ward cares for children up to the age of 19 years with a wide range of acute medical conditions, including those suffering with chronic conditions such as diabetes, cystic fibrosis & asthma. The ward provides a child focused environment and is staffed by our large team of doctors, nurses, play specialists, receptionists & cleaners. A welcome booklet is available for you to read and print.
Your child may be admitted to the ward from our paediatric assessment unit , directly by referral from your GP, via A&E or the outpatient clinic.
Paddington has several larger rooms where your child will be nursed alongside other children and cubicles where your child may be nursed should they have an infection.
We have a dedicated team of play specialists and activity leaders who can provide preparation, support and distraction when your child is under going tests and procedures. They will explain what is going to happen using pictures and language appropriate to your child's needs. Our activity centre/play room can be accessed most times of the day. Opening times are on display.
During term-time children who are well enough have access to our hospital school, a teacher is available every morning and can deliver education at the bed side or within our activity centre. If your child is in hospital for some tie the teacher will also liaise with your child's school about their education.
Other areas of the ward
MDCU - (Medical Day Care Unit) This 4 bedded area is where children have pre-booked appointments for diagnostic tests under sedation and treatments such as immunisation and intravenous medications. We work closely with other departments within the hospital such as x-ray and nuclear medicine where children need to attend.
HDU - (High Dependency Unit) Children who require a higher level of care will be admitted to the high dependency unit within the ward - this area has 2 beds and cares for critically ill babies and children, some may require support for respiratory conditions. Children who may require more specialist care are stabilised within the unit while awaiting transfer to a paediatric intensive care unit at another hospital. A leaflet for this unit is available for you to view or print.
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