The Multidisciplinary Team

Is the inpatient ward at the Principal Treatment Centre (Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital) caring for patients 0-16 years old with a malignancy? This is where patients will be admitted for initial diagnosis of malignant disease, receive Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy (SACT) that requires an inpatient stay and will also accommodate patients for acute admissions for supportive care.

Ward 18 may also care for patients who have a non-malignant haematological condition.

It is a 24-bed ward with 8 bay beds and 16 cubicles, 6 of these cubicles are in a dedicated teenage and young adults’ area. There are three age-appropriate social spaces for children and young people.

There is a shared parents room for families from Ward 18 and Ward 19 on the same floor.

Is the inpatient ward at Principal Treatment Centre (Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital) caring for patients 0-16 years old undergoing a stem cell transplant? Patients receiving Stem Cell Transplants for both malignant and non-malignant conditions.

It is an 8-bed ward of all cubicles with an anteroom and positive pressure air flow system.

There is a shared parent’s room for families from Ward 18 and Ward 19 on the same floor.

Oncology Outpatients clinic is where patients and families will have outpatient appointments with their consultant or medical team. Patients will also receive outpatient treatments such as day-case Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy (SACT) and other outpatient treatments such as dressing changes, blood samples and nasogastric tube placement.

Oncology outpatients also have a day case theatre for treatments such as bone marrow aspirates, lumber punctures and intrathecal chemotherapy. This theatre is also used for patients with retinoblastoma to have eye examinations and treatments.

To support you and help you manage your child’s care, you will receive input from the Cancer Nurse Specialist Team. They will support you, your child and your family throughout treatment both in hospital and at home. They will see you when you are admitted to the ward for treatment and when you have outpatient appointments and treatment. They will also provide telephone support and contact at home and you will have direct access to them via telephone and email. The Cancer Nurse Specialist Team can support you in the following areas:

• Offer practical and emotional support for you, your child and your family.
• Give you appropriate information at the right time and help you understand it.
• Share information with health and social care agencies or other professionals in the community and primary care on your behalf.
• Talk to nurseries, schools or colleges and support your child’s return to school or nursery wherever possible.
• Make sure that you have been taught the skills you need to care for your child at home. For example, Discharge information or care of central lines.
• Make sure you have the chance to benefit from other health workers and charities.
• Provide supporting letters and information as needed to help throughout your child’s treatment.

This service is specifically for young people (13-16 years) who have been diagnosed with cancer. This service is supported by the Teenage Cancer Trust We work alongside the ward and clinic teams to provide age-appropriate care, as well as emotional, psychological and social support to young people, their family and friends. Our Teenage Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialists are a point of contact for the young person and their family, offering support, advice and signposting during their treatment journey. Our Youth Support Coordinator organises and supervises a variety of activities on and off the ward. These include takeaway nights, arts and crafts, games, competitions etc. Outside of the hospital we have regular patient social evenings, day trips, sailing trips, residential trips etc. Activities are open to you whether you have treatment at BCH or a shared care hospital.