Coming to GOSH

A to Z of facilities

This section explains about the facilities available at GOSH. For information about the local area, please ask the Pals office for our guide.

Please use the alphabetical index below to find the facilities you need...

Accommodation

Some parents stay on the ward with their children, but some wards do not have the space to offer this. The Family Services Department will arrange somewhere for you to stay elsewhere in the hospital or in the surrounding area, but you will usually have to share a room.

We can always accommodate one parent, but can only accommodate both parents if a child is on one of the intensive care units. The service is free and all bed linen is provided, but we will ask you for a returnable deposit.

We now have a patient hotel at GOSH with rooms available for certain groups of patients. Please ring the ward or department (the number is on your appointment or admission letter) for further details.

If you have other children who need to stay with you, please call the department for advice, as there is a Sick Children’s Trust house nearby. The department also has a list of local hotels, if that is more convenient. Please contact the Family Services department at least one week before your child’s stay to arrange accommodation. Their telephone number is 020 7813 8151/8152 and they also have a fax machine on 020 7813 8436.

A list of nearby hotels is on the right hand side of this page.

Bedside entertainment

We are currently piloting a new television system for providing entertainment by your child’s bed. This will include latest DVD releases, audio books, Sky television channels and internet access. Currently, this is being installed in selected wards in the hospital but will be extended to cover all wards in coming years. If you have any questions about this, please ask your nurse.

Breastfeeding

GOSH encourages breastfeeding. All wards have suitable facilities where you can breastfeed, including access to a breast pump if you need one. We also provide food vouchers to all mothers breastfeeding babies under six months old, whether or not your baby is a patient at GOSH. If you have any questions about breastfeeding or would like some advice, please ask a member of staff to contact our neonatal nursing advisor.

Cash points

There is a cash point in the main entrance to the hospital, which accepts most types of bankcards and does not charge a fee. There are plenty of other cash points in the local area. Please ask at the Pals office for directions.

Clown doctors

Clown doctors from Theodora Children’s Trust visit most wards twice a week to share their special ‘laughter-ology’ with everyone. If you or your child would like to meet them, please ask your play specialist.

Coram’s Fields

There is a large play area about five minutes’ walk from the hospital called Coram’s Fields. There is lots of play equipment there, activities during school holidays and even farm animals.

Entertainment

GOSH is regularly offered free or reduced price tickets to plays and other attractions in London. Please see the Family Service department for details. We also have a film show on the first Monday of the month showing the latest films. The early showing is for children and the later one for young people and adults. Details of which films are showing are displayed around the hospital.

GO Create!

The GO Create! Arts & Humanities programme includes activities ranging from visual art to music to dance, appealing to a wide range of cultural backgrounds and age groups and aims to enhance the hospital environment, reflecting the diversity of patients, visitors and staff. For more information visit www.gosh.nhs.uk/go_create.

Launderette

Launderette facilities for families are available in the hospital. Please see the map in main reception. You will need to supply your own washing powder and bring some coins for the machines. There are other launderettes in the area where you can leave a service wash or organise dry cleaning.

Midwifery clinics

If you have just had a baby and your child is an inpatient at GOSH, you can visit our postnatal clinic, which is held three afternoons a week. The midwives can also advise on antenatal care if you are pregnant while your child is an inpatient. For further details, please see our information sheet about the midwifery clinics or ask at the Family Services department.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (Pals)

The Pals office is in the main reception area opposite the shop. They can talk through any concerns with you, find health information and liaise with staff around the hospital. They are open from 9am to 5pm from Mondays to Fridays and 10am to 12.30pm on Saturdays. Ring them on extension 7862 email them at pals@gosh.nhs.uk or visit their website at www.gosh.nhs.uk/pals

Pharmacy

The Pharmacy is where you can pick up any medicines prescribed for your child. If you have any questions about your child’s medicines, please discuss with the ward or dispensary pharmacists. Please note that for some medicines, it is now a legal requirement that you provide proof of identification before being given the medicine. For other medicines and supplies, there are several community pharmacies in the local area.

Play and activities

Each ward has a playroom where you and your child can play together. For most of the day, the play specialist supervises this area, but you are still responsible for watching your child, particularly when the play specialist is with another child elsewhere.

The Activities Centre is on level 2 of the Southwood Building and is supervised by our qualified play staff. It’s bright and colourful, full of things to do and gives children at the hospital an opportunity to meet other people of their own age.

The Den is part of the Activities Centre but is for young people and their brothers and sisters aged 11 or over. This is also where our Youth Group is held every Thursday evening from 6.30pm to 8pm.

Psychological support

Our child psychologists work closely with the hospital team to promote psychological well being in your child and family. We also help prevent and enable you to cope with any developmental, behavioural or emotional difficulties that can sometimes arise as a result of a child having an illness or being in hospital. Psychological input may be available while your child is an inpatient or outpatient. You can ask your child’s doctor, nurse or any other member of the team to contact a psychologist.

Radio Lollipop

Radio Lollipop, our play based interactive radio service, is available on Monday and Wednesday evenings between 6.15pm and 8.15pm on channel 9 on ward televisions. During non-broadcast times, a 24/7 radio service is available.

The service is provided by volunteers who also visit the wards during the broadcasts providing creative activities for patients and families. You can call the studio on extension 6784 to make music requests and take part in a variety of competitions.

Religious support and services

The multi-faith chaplaincy team offers spiritual, religious and pastoral care to staff, families, and children of all faiths or none. They provide a 24-hour on-call service every day of the year. If you would like to see a chaplain, please ask ward staff or ask at the main reception desk. The chaplains are a visible presence in the hospital, visiting wards and departments each day.

St Christopher’s Chapel on level 2 of the Variety Club Building is always open. We also have a multifaith room. Please ask at the Chaplaincy department for details, as the multifaith room will be moving in the future. We also have a Shabbat Room for Jewish families; please ask the Chaplaincy department for details. Services are held in the Chapel each weekday to which all are welcome. Details of Sunday services at local churches are displayed on the Chaplaincy notice board. Friday prayers for Muslim staff and families are held from 1pm onwards in the Boardroom on level 2 of the Paul O’Gorman Building. Buddhist chanting and meditation is held in the multifaith room on the first and third Wednesdays of the month.

School

The Hospital School caters for all school age children (Year 1 - Year 13) who are inpatients or staying in the patient hotel. Priority for ward teaching is given to recurrent or long-stay inpatients.

Children are encouraged to come to the school to work with others of their own age as part of a group. If this is not possible, a teacher will visit your child on the ward.

If your child is likely to be in hospital for more than a few days it would be very helpful if you could bring details of any schoolwork (coursework, homework etc) that your child needs to keep up with.

For more information or advice about your child's schooling, please contact the school on 020 7813 8269, or visit their website.

Scout and Guide Group

This is open to anyone aged six or older and meets every Tuesday evening from 6.30pm to 8pm in the Activities Centre. We offer an evening away from the ward for both patients and other young family members. Each week we have a range of fun activities on a different theme, and give the opportunity for you to make friends with other children from the hospital. For more details, please call our voicemail on extension 0419 at the hospital, or look out for the Scout and Guide Leaders when they visit your ward on Tuesday evenings. You can find more information on our website www.17thholborn.org.uk

Shop

The shop sells a range of products including newspapers, magazines, sweet and savoury snacks and drinks. It also sells toiletries, cards, games, toys and GOSH logo products. It is open from 7.30am to 5pm on weekdays and from 8am to 3pm at weekends.

Social work department

The social work department is part of the Psychosocial and Family Services department at GOSH. The department includes social workers and family support workers, who work together to enable children and families to cope with the stress of illness and provide practical advice and assistance on welfare benefits and financial support. We also provide a direct social work service to children and families. We work in multidisciplinary teams attached to and working closely with the medical units.

Please visit the social work department or telephone us on 020 7829 8896.

Suggestions and complaints

We are always trying to improve our services for patients and their families. If you have any suggestions or complaints about the ward or hospital, please let us know about them. First speak to the ward staff or your child’s consultant if there is a problem with your child’s treatment. If you feel your problem has not been resolved, you can call in at the Pals office to discuss the matter further.

Telephones

There are card phones by each bed and at various points around the hospital. You can buy GOSH phone cards from the shop or you can use your credit/debit card.

You can use your mobile phone inside the hospital but only within designated ‘mobile friendly zones’. Using your mobile elsewhere could cause interference with our medical equipment. Remember that if you are also bringing in a phone charger, it will need to be checked by our electricians before you use it.

Toilets changing facilities

There are toilets and baby and disabled changing facilities at various locations throughout the hospital - please see the map for details.

Changing Places Toilet Facility (Hoist toilet)

There is a hoist facility toilet (Changing Places Toilet) located on the ground floor between the Variety Club and Southwood Buildings (next to the men's and women's toilets).

This toilet contains a hoist and an adjustable changing table. Users should be experienced in using the equipment as the facility is not staffed, although there is a 24 hour emergency call pull. Users must bring their own slings (loop type) and should use the supplies provided to clear up afterwards to support effective infection control within the hospital.

Washing facilities

Washing and showering facilities are provided in the Parents’ Unit in the Cardiac Wing link corridor.

This page was last updated on 14 January, 2010

Download

List of nearby hotels (PDF, 31KB)