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Community Children's Nursing Service

A team of qualified children’s nurses who provide nursing care at home in outpatient clinics, health centres, mainstream and special needs schools and in other community settings. The purpose of the team is to help with an early discharge from hospital for children who are inpatients and to prevent admissions to hospital for children with complex or long term needs. They aim to support children, young people and their families with as little disruption to their family lives and their education as possible They have in the nursing team: Special School Nurses, Epilepsy, Transition, Allergy, Asthma and Diabetes Nurse Specialists as well as General Community Children’s Nurses. They can offer care, advice, teaching and training to any child and family with a nursing need, for example: post-operative care, dressing and wound care, respiratory illnesses, feeding difficulties, skin care needs, intravenous therapy and blood tests, special and complex needs requiring specialist support, diabetes, allergies, epilepsy, palliative care, cancer and blood disorders or any other needs requiring a nurse. They can also support and provide training to the child or young person’s wider contact network such as schools, nurseries, extended family, play group staff and transport services.

Contact details

Contact Name
Diane Akuoko
Contact Position
Team Leader, Community Children’s Nurses
Telephone
020 7794 0500
E-mail
Diane.akuoko@nhs.net

Address

Activity location
London NW8 6HX
Address
Royal Free Hospital
Pond Street
London
Postcode
NW3 2QG

Time / Date Details

Opening times (visits)
They visit by arrangement during working hours: 8am-6pm, and can visit at home or at school.

Further details

Ward
Hampstead Town Ward
Last checked date
29/05/2015
Record ID
40100

Local Offer

About Local Offer
Local Offer Age Bands
Preparing for Adult Life 14-25
Children under 5
School Age Children & Young People 5-18
SEN Provision Type
Targeted
Where is the service located and what areas does it cover?

Community Children’s nurses and the specialist paediatric nurses are based at the Royal Free London Hospital and the special school nurse is based at Swiss Cottage School.

Who does your service provide for?

Our service is for 0-19 year old children and young people who require nursing care, support, teaching or training about their health needs.

How can a child or young person start using the service?

Referrals can be made by Parents, GP’s, paediatricians, Schools, Nurses, Health Visitors and other health professionals. We do not have a waiting list. We usually make contact with the family on the day we receive the referral and arrange a suitable time to visit. There is no charge for the family or the referrer for nursing care.

How are decisions made about eligibility for your service?

We will see all children and young people with a nursing need and who either live in Camden or attend Swiss Cottage School.

How do you communicate with service users and how are they involved in decision making/planning?

We have community children’s nursing service leaflets, information leaflets and have care planning and discharge planning meetings to discuss care provided to their child in the community. The specialist paediatric nurses will facilitate learning events and group training as well as individual training. We also use either face-to-face or phone interpreting services for families who need it. Parents are given feedback regarding the care we give to their children. We also offer teaching and training support for parents and families.

Is your service fully accessible?

All clinic areas and Swiss Cottage Special Needs school are fully accessible. All other visits are carried out in children and young people's homes. There are disabled changing and toileting facilities in all clinic areas and at Swiss Cottage Special Needs School. Play rooms are available in our clinic areas and Swiss Cottage School has a medical room as well as play and sensory rooms.

What training have the staff supporting children and young people with SEND had/or will be they be getting?

Staff are trained in Special Educational Needs/ Disabilities and how health providers will improve outcomes and contribute to the new Education, Health & Care (EHC) Plans. There is also safeguarding training for all staff who work closely with the disabled social work team in MOSAIC, the Integrated Service for Disabled Children and Young People, and with education on supporting children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in schools. Staff also have continuous teaching, training and clinical supervision on various complex health conditions.

Who should a service user contact if they want to raise a concern or complain about something?

A parent/carer or young person who wishes to raise a concern or complain should contact: Diane Akuoko – Team Leader (Community Children’s Nurses) or Helen Swarbrick – Matron Child Health Department (Royal Free London NHS Trust) Tel: 0207 830 2571 Fax: 0207 830 2146

Who can a parent carer/young person contact for further information?

Community Children’s Nursing Team, Child Health Department, Royal Free London NHS Trust. Tel: 0207 830 2571 Fax: 0207 830 2146

The Local Offer is a free and impartial service provided by Camden Local Authority. Any service or provider mentioned in this Local Offer, does not represent a recommendation or endorsement of the service or quality of the service provided. You are responsible for undertaking your own checks to determine suitability of the service and provider.

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