The Department

All Paediatric and Neonatal Inpatient services are delivered from a single large site based at the Princess Royal Hospital in a purpose-built state-of-the-art Women and Children’s Centre. The new facilities include:

• A new 36 bed children’s ward
• Dedicated Oncology and High-Dependency Care 3-bedded Units within the ward
• Independently staffed 8-bedded Children’s Assessment Units at the Princess Royal Hospital 24/7
• A 6 bedded Paediatric Medical Day case Unit at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.
• A Neonatal Unit, designated as a Level 2 / Local NNU
• Children’s Outpatient Centres at both Hospitals.
• Co-location with the new Labour Suite, Maternity Operating Theatres and Obstetric Wards with vastly improved estate and facilities comes staff expansion. There is already separation of rotas at junior tier (24/7) and middle-tier (09:00-17:00hrs Mon-Fri) for paediatric and neonatal services. There is separation of the Consultant tier 24/7, and the middle tier 09:00-23:00hrs 24/7. This department aims to complete tier 2 separation 24/7.

The Children’s Ward

A total of 36 beds, with 18 accommodated in 2 or 4 bedded bays, and 16 in cubicles, each with en-suite accommodation. The ward has a dedicated 3-bed Oncology Unit that has its own parent accommodation, Treatment Rooms and office accommodation, and delivers the highest quality of care as a Level 3 Paediatric Oncology Shared Care Unit. 3 beds are dedicated, and staffed, for High-Dependency Care. CPAP and High-Flow Oxygen facilities are in use already in county, and the new unit sees expansion of this, along with the potential to further develop HDU care provision for the West Midlands. The Ward’s resuscitation room allows for initiation of PICU support, including ventilation, and there are well-established links with the Regions PICU centres at Stoke and Birmingham and with the immensely supportive and efficient Regional Transport and PICU advice service (KIDS) based at the Birmingham Children’s Hospital. This large ward is ideally located, being adjacent to the Princes Royal Hospital Children’s Out-Patient facility, Neonatology, Radiology, A&E, and the new Children’s Assessment Unit. There are currently in excess of 6,000 admissions per annum to the two Children’s Wards, with a further 10,000+ attendances at the Children’s Assessment Units.

The PRH Children’s Assessment Unit

Separately staffed and open 24/7 this new facility has 8 beds, with 4 as en-suite cubicles, and a separate treatment Room for practical procedures. Length of stay is already little over 24 hours for children in Shropshire, and the CAUs are expected to further facilitate earlier discharge home and ward admission avoidance.

The RSH Paediatric Medical Day Case Unit

Reconfiguration has ensured that cost effective services are provided with an emphasis of quality and flow of care. The Paediatric Medical Day Unit at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital is a 6-bedded unit. The unit is staffed by highly experienced Advanced Paediatric Nurse Practitioners on a Tuesday and Thursday and by the current Associate Specialists on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday. This post would partly support this role, and enable semi-elective reviews on alternate days. Comprehensive care pathways have been developed to manage the admission of ill or injured children, whether they present to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital or Princess Royal Hospital. The Paediatric team at RSH is expected to play a role in supporting the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital A&E Department, which is also the designated Trauma Unit for the County. This support is available from 9am to 7 pm 5 days/week and between 12pm and 10pm on a Saturday and Sunday. There is non-resident consultant cover dedicated to support the CAU & A&E in RSH.

Children’s Outpatients

At both the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Princess Royal Hospital there are new, enhanced out-patient facilities. Each also contain its own treatment room, clean and dirty utility and administration areas, allowing greater delivery of care away from the in-patient unit. Children’s general paediatric out-patient clinics are also delivered in the excellent facilities provided by a number of the local Community Hospitals (in Whitchurch, Ludlow, Bridgnorth, Welshpool and Newtown) and in the specialist Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry.

There is comprehensive provision of specialist services in the out-patients, including:

A. Visiting Tertiary Specialists: Cardiology, Nephrology, Urology, Surgery, Endocrinology, Cystic Fibrosis, Oncology & Haematology, and Genetics.

B. In-County Specialist Clinics: Gastroenterology, UTI/Renal, Cardiology, Allergy, Respiratory, Cystic Fibrosis, Rheumatology, Diabetes, Endocrinology, Oncology & Haematology, Metabolic, Epilepsy and Neurology

Rota Duties

The Post holder will cover the acute paediatric ward in their ward week (consultant of the ward) 3.72 times a year & cover the assessment unit in their assessment week (consultant of assessment unit) 3.72 times a year. There will general paediatric and gastroenterology clinics at both sites. The post attracts 2 PAs of supporting professional activity per week.

The post-holder will be expected to contribute to the 1:7 full-shift rota. The rota is compliant with the terms and conditions of the 2016 Junior Doctor Contract and WTD and has been carefully designed to maximise training opportunities for doctors whilst maintaining a safe and efficient service, with an even spread of long days and nights. The post holder will be 1 of the 15 doctors contributing to the full shift rota with a weekend frequency of 1:7 with non-resident-night and is prospectively covered for annual and study leave.