We are a paediatric ward catering for children from birth to three years. We also provide care for children under the age of 16 years for various conditions.
Current visiting policy
Restricted visiting will be permitted on most wards and areas such as our Emergency Department. Please follow our guidance to find our more information as some areas do still have restrictions.
Directions and travel
From the main hospital entrance, turn right as you enter through the revolving door, turn left and walk past the hairdresser, across the corridor to the C and D ward lifts. Use the stairs or lift to go up to level three (one floor up from the Concourse). As you exit the stairs or lifts, turn left, then left again and C3 is in front of you. Please ring the doorbell to the left of the main door and state who you are visiting to gain access to the ward.
If your child is likely to be hospitalised for an extended period, you can get a discounted ‘D’ category parking ticket. Parents / primary caregivers are only eligible to two ‘D’ category tickets per patient.
Other visitors can request ‘G’ (two weeks) or ‘H’ (seven days) category discounted ticket.
The entry ticket issued at the barrier should be held by the patient or visitors and upon discharge this will need to be validated by a member of nursing staff before presenting this at the customer service desk (sited within both car park 1 and 2). This ticket will then be discounted by the car parking attendant to the discount value. The discounted ticket is then paid for at the pay station, and used to exit the car park.
CUH Directions mobile app
The CUH Directions mobile app is for patients and visitors.
It helps you to find your way around Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie hospitals, making it easier to locate clinics, wards and other facilities on our campus.
On your arrival
Your allocated nurse will show you around the ward and ask for information about your child to enable her to care for them appropriately. You will be allocated a bed and you will have the opportunity to sleep next to your child.
Please note that we can only accommodate one parent to sleep on the ward. Please ask your nurse about alternative accommodation if necessary, although this is subject to availability and is not guaranteed. Please note that we cannot allow parents to sleep in any other area on the ward.
Bed allocation
Please note that allocation of ward and / or bed space is based on the clinical need of all patients and allocation decisions are the responsibility of the nurse in charge, in conjunction with the patient flow manager. You may be asked to move to another ward or bed space in order to accommodate the changing clinical requirements of the department.
We cannot guarantee a particular ward, bed space or cubicle to any patient. The nurse in charge’s decision will be final, based on the best interests of all patients.
Discharge
Parents are required to provide transport on discharge home, and only in exceptional circumstances (in discussion with ward staff on admission) will hospital transport be booked for discharge.
We will try to give you as much notice as possible about discharge to enable you to make plans. Please ensure you have your own car seat available if you are taking your child home in your car.
Visiting hours
Restricted visiting will be permitted on most wards and areas such as our emergency department. Please follow our guidance to find our more information as some areas do still have restrictions.
We ask that other visitors leave at 19:30 hours (lights out) to allow you and your child adequate rest. When you have visitors, please be considerate of other patients who may be feeling very unwell; a lot of noise or commotion may prevent them from resting. This includes ensuring the Patientline TV volume is kept to a minimum please.
To help us prevent the spread of any infections, please ask visitors to use the hand rub at the entrance to the ward on arrival and on leaving. Visitors may not sit or lie on the beds. If you have any concerns about any aspects of the cleaning or food service please speak to the senior sister / charge nurse. Please ask anyone who is unwell not to visit.
For infection control purposes we are not allowed flowers on the ward.
Food and drink
Meal times for children are:
Breakfast: 08:00
Lunch: 12:00
Dinner: 17:00
Please speak to a member of staff if your child misses a meal for any reason. We provide meals for breast feeding mothers and breakfast for resident carers.
We have a small parents room where you can make hot drinks. For patient safety we are not allowed hot drinks at the bedside unless in a lidded cup. For a small charge lidded thermos cups are available for parents to buy. There is also a fridge and microwave within the parents rooms that can be used to store and reheat food during your stay.
We provide a small selection of baby food. We provide a selection of the most popular first stage baby milks in ready to drink formula. If your baby is on second stage milk, please bring in the ready to drink formula (not powder) otherwise we will offer a standard first stage for the length of your stay.
Specialist milks will be prescribed when required, by the dietitian and must be made up in our milk kitchen by our milk kitchen staff. If your child is on a specialist formula, please inform your nurse as soon as you arrive.
Security
Please keep your belongings to a minimum and store them in your bedside locker. For your own health and safety, please let a member of the ward staff know if you leave the ward at any time. To ensure the safety of our patients, please do not let other people you do not know enter the ward with you – all visitors must ring the doorbell and speak to a member of staff.
Ward facilities
We are committed to treating all patients (and their families where possible) with privacy and dignity in a safe, clean and comfortable environment.
- We provide separate sanitary facilities for boys and girls, but if there are particular concerns for your child regarding sleeping in mixed sex accommodation please discuss with the nurse in charge and we will make every effort to ensure your child’s needs are met.
- Patientline – Prepay phone plus free TV. You will be required to use headphones provided to watch TV after 19:00 to ensure other patients and parents are not disturbed.
- Playroom – The playroom will be open during the working hours of our play team. Please ensure your child and their siblings are supervised at all times in the playroom. Out of hours, there will be a small selection of toys available on the ward.
- Play team – nursery nurses and play specialists are available most days of the week. They are able to provide activities at the bed space if required.
Clothing and laundry
Relatives / friends take responsibility for laundering clothes. Please bring in nappies and clothes for your baby, plus your own toiletries if you plan to stay with your infant or child.
Drug rounds
Please do not interrupt the nursing staff while they are doing the 'drug round' or checking medicines.
Doctor's ward rounds
We have many different teams caring for children on C3. Times for ward rounds vary according to speciality – please ask the nurse caring for your child when this will be. If you are unable to be present for a ward round, we will arrange for one of the doctors to speak to you when you arrive.
Please note, out of hours and at weekends, if you wish to speak to a member of the medical staff this can be arranged, but please understand that these doctors are unlikely to be those who normally look after your child and so may not be able to provide detailed information. They may also be busy with emergency duties and may not be readily available to meet with you.
Please note, you may not see your consultant everyday.