Improvements to children’s health services in Brent and Harrow are being launched in October following a major public consultation.
With the support of local residents, changes are being made to provide better, safer services for children and families in the area. These changes will start on Monday 11 October 2010 when all children who need to stay in hospital overnight will be treated at Northwick Park Hospital, whether they have been admitted through Northwick Park or the Central Middlesex Hospital.
The small number of children treated overnight at Central Middlesex – estimated to be no more than three a day - will be transferred by ambulance to the larger unit at Northwick Park Hospital, which has a more extensive children’s department with senior doctors available on a 24 hour basis.
Chief Executive of The North West London Hospitals NHS Trust, Fiona Wise, said: “This decision has been taken following a full public consultation carried out by NHS Brent, NHS Harrow and the Trust and with the agreement of local people. It will improve care and give children and families the specialist care they need at all times in both hospitals.”
If the child needs to be transferred, parents or carers will be able to go in the ambulance with them. The Trust is also expanding its free shuttle service between Central Middlesex and Northwick Park Hospitals to make visiting easier for families.
Northwick Park Hospital has a much larger children’s department with more specialist doctors and nurses, but the children’s unit at Central Middlesex will not close. It will become a paediatric assessment unit open between 10am and 10pm - the times that most children come to hospital - with more senior staff on hand during the day to diagnose children and make decisions about their treatment.
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