Children’s Outpatients

The Children’s Allergy clinical nurse specialist (CNS) is responsible for the management of a caseload of patients across the Bradford district and has the skills and knowledge to provide specialist nursing support, advice, education and/or care to that specific group.

They have a continuing responsibility for the assessment of patient needs, the development, implementation, and evaluation of programmes of care/management plans.

The overall purpose of this role is to provide a clear, consistent, and well managed approach to children’s allergy services across the Bradford and Airedale district and provide essential support to the current consultant team.

The Children’s Diabetes Team is based at St. Luke’s Hospital in Bradford.

Our service operates Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays) between 8am and 6pm. Out of these hours you can contact the Children’s Decision Unit for urgent advice about diabetes.

The purpose of the Children’s Diabetes Team is to ensure that all children and young people achieve their full potential which is not compromised by having diabetes.

Our team members include Doctors, Nurses, Dietitians, Psychologist and Team Administrator.

The children’s epilepsy nurses can provide ongoing care to children and young people with epilepsy by offering specialist information, support and education to them, their families and carers. We work with patients from diagnosis until their care is transferred to adult services.

We can see children/young people, their families and carers in a range of settings:

• visit to home
• visit to the ward (if inpatient)
• outpatient clinic
• visit to school
• video call

What we provide:

• information about epilepsy diagnosis and classification of seizure types
• epilepsy care plan
• advice about medication and possible side effects
• advice on dealing with seizures
• emergency medication training for parents and carers
• regular training sessions for education and nursery staff on administration of emergency medication
• advice about safety and lifestyle implications
• telephone support and advice
• support when modifying treatment or weaning off medication
• support with transition to adult services

Advice for parents and carers:

• keep a seizure diary
• record videos of seizures (we use a system called vCreate)

Useful websites:

• Epilepsy Action
• Epilepsy Society
• Young Epilepsy
• SUDEP Action
• Epilepsy Foundation

The children’s haematology clinical nurse specialist will:

• provide care and support both in the community and ward based environment
• have responsibility for a defined caseload (patients/service-users) and will provide an effective and high-quality patient-focused service that is sensitive to the needs of users and providers
• provide clinical, social, and psychological support to their patients/service-users using excellent communication skills, education and health promotion to enable them to reach their optimum level of independence and health
• provide specialist advice, supervision, and support to their defined caseload (patients/service-users/staff)

The children’s metabolic clinical nurse specialist (CNS) will:

• Have responsibility for a defined caseload (patients/service-users) and will provide an effective and high-quality patient-focused service that is sensitive to the needs of users and providers.
• Will provide clinical, social, and psychological support to their patients/service-users using excellent communication skills, education and health promotion to enable them to reach their optimum level of independence and health.
• Will provide specialist advice, supervision, and support to their defined caseload (patients/service-users/staff).
• Work closely with the wider multidisciplinary team including consultants and dieticians to provide the best care for their patients.

The team includes nurses, family support workers, play specialists and community physiotherapists who give emotional and practical support for children and young people and their families from diagnosis to bereavement. The team gives support during the terminal stage of illness to ensure that a child’s end of life wishes are met in a holistic way. The team assists with claims for financial assistance and signpost to other services and organisations which can help.

The palliative care service is for children and young people aged up to 18 with a life limiting condition, living in the Bradford and Airedale area.

You can be referred by a consultant, doctor, health visitor, social worker, school nurse, nurse specialists or other professional.

Bradford Children’s Community Team provides assessment and treatment to children and young people in the Bradford area including:

• Wound Care at home
• Gastronomy/Caecostomy/Cystostomy care
• Pre-Chemo Bloods in the home
• Ongoing maintenance chemotherapy bloods
• CVAD care
• Nasogastric Tubes
• Overnight saturation monitoring
• Training for schools and nurseries
• Training for parents and carers
• Care of Oxygen dependent children
• Supply families with consumables
• Home IV antibiotics, injections and other medications
• Weight monitoring
• Tracheostomy care
• Care of a child on invasive and non-invasive ventilation
• Liaise with and support members of the multi-disciplinary/multi-agency team in delivering care in the community
• Provide nursing support in the home to help reduce hospital admissions and facilitate early discharge

The team consists of nurses, healthcare support workers, family support workers, play specialists, community physiotherapists, admin staff, and practice development.

Who is it for?

• Children and young people aged up to 18 with a health need (this includes young people aged 16-17 who may have been under the care of adult services but the District Nursing Service will not accept referrals for this age group on discharge from hospital.
• Children with a Bradford and Airedale G.P.

How to access this service?

By referral from a Consultant, G.P., Health Visitor, School Nurse, Nurse Specialists and other healthcare professionals.

Bradford Children’s continuing care team:

• provides respite care for children with complex health needs in their own home
• supports children with complex health needs to attend school, holiday clubs and extracurricular activities
• provides nursing support in the home to reduce hospital admissions and facilitate early discharge
• liaises with other members of the multi-disciplinary/multi-agency team to ensure that the child and family’s needs are fully met
• supports respite units within Bradford and Airedale

The team consists of nurses, healthcare support workers, family support workers, play specialists, community physiotherapists, admin staff, and practice development.

Who is it for?

• Children and young people aged up to 18 with complex health needs
• Children living in the Bradford and Airedale area with a Bradford Consultant

Bradford Child Development Service is a team of health professionals working jointly with children and young people with long term development or learning difficulties and their families. The people you may meet are:

• Doctors (Developmental Paediatricians)
• Physiotherapy and Occupational therapy
• Speech and language therapy (for communication or for swallowing)
• Psychology team
• Dietitian
• Specialist nurses (Child Development/Transition Nurse/Surgical/Continence)
• Nursery nurses and Child development assistants

The team work collaboratively alongside other agencies striving to provide an excellent service for children, young people and their families. With the child, young person and parental involvement, the health needs of child or young person are met through assessments and formulations of individualised treatment plans which promote independence and positive self-image for the child, young person and their family. The child, young person and their family are support throughout and signposted to outside agencies and organisations for further support and advice, including social care and voluntary sector.

Some of the appointments or interventions will be during hospital attendances whilst some can be via telephone or video consultations. Home visits can be facilitated on an individual needs basis by specific staff members.

Who is it for?

Children and young people with health and developmental needs including physical disability, learning disability, social communication disorders (autism) and other long term developmental conditions aged up to their 16th birthday, at the time of referral.

Referrals are accepted from your GP, other doctors (e.g. hospital doctor), Health Visitor, School Nurse or Speech and Language Therapist.

The first appointment is usually with a doctor and referrals to other members of the multidisciplinary team will be made accordingly, specific to the child or young person’s individual identified needs.

The team supports and actively co-ordinates the transition of care from children’s services in to adult services for young people and their families. We also help direct the young people towards agencies (either statutory or voluntary) that can support them with other aspects of their lives, including independent living, social opportunities and finance management. The team facilitates the GP’s to become the effective named and responsible GP for patients with additional needs, whilst ensuring the young person is engaged and attending adult services prior to discharge from the service. We work closely with the Child Development Service.

• We provide a Transition Health Assessment and Health Passport
• Work towards prevention and reduction of admissions to hospital
• Prevent overlap and duplication of services. Reduce health inequalities

The service is for young people aged between 14 and 21 years diagnosed with a complex and continuing healthcare need and a physical disability and their families.