Fox Ward has 10 beds which are all cubicles. It is on Level 5 of the Variety Club Building (VCB) at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH).
This ward is for children with blood disorders, cancers and leukaemias - or immune, metabolic, gastroenterology or rheumatology disorders - who need a bone marrow or stem cell transplant.
Children on Fox Ward are nursed in strict isolation before, during and after their transplant to prevent them catching bugs.
They tend to stay for a long time ‑ six to eight weeks is a minimum length of stay.
Fox Ward
Level 5, Variety Club Building
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust
Great Ormond Street
London
WC1N 3JH
Map
Fox Ward nurses’ station telephone number: 020 7829 8820
You can learn more about our clinical specialties by visiting:
Staff on the ward
Fox Ward is primarily run by our highly qualified nursing team, but also includes bone marrow transplant consultants, specialist nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, healthcare assistants, play specialists and housekeeping staff.
The following members of staff will be available to help you during your stay on the ward:
- Mary Foo-Caballero, Lead Nurse
- Lenka Chenchara, Ward Sister
Conditions we treat
The special areas of expertise include:
- Diagnosis and management of childhood leukaemia and solid tumours.
- Histiocytic disorders and myelodysplasias.
- Disorders of haemoglobin synthesis, red cell disorders and bone marrow failure with the provision of autologous and allergenic bone marrow transplantation when appropriate.
Ward information
Because the children on Fox Ward have lowered immunity and are very susceptible to infections, we give them as much protection as possible by carefully restricting visiting.
Each patient is allowed three named visitors (usually family members) who can go into their cubicle. These visitors must be sure they do not have any infections.
Siblings (as long as they are well) can talk to their brother or sister for 30 minutes via an intercom between the cubicle and Fox Ward corridor.
Each cubicle has a sink just inside the entrance and, as an allocated visitor, you will need to wash your hands thoroughly and put on a clean plastic apron every time you enter the cubicle.
There are individual telephones beside each bed in the ward‘s cubicles. Visitors are welcome to call you directly on your dedicated phone line.
You can use your mobile phone inside the hospital but only in designated mobile- friendly zones. Using your mobile elsewhere could interfere with our medical equipment.
Bed allocation
We do our utmost to protect the privacy and dignity of your child at all times during their stay at GOSH.
Your child will be given a bed according to how their physical, psychological and social needs are best met, taking into consideration the needs of other children and young people on the ward at that time.
Your child's safety will be our utmost priority at all times.
Facilities for parents
You are a valued member of your child‘s healthcare team and we encourage you to take part in their care as much as possible while in hospital.
Each cubicle on Fox Ward has space for one parent to stay overnight with their child. They also have an en suite bathroom for you and your child to use.
There is a sitting room for parents, which is shared with our neighbouring ward, Robin.
Parents are also welcome to use the shared kitchen to store and prepare food and hot drinks. There are some restrictions on which foods can be stored. Please contact the ward if you would like this list in advance.
Alternatively, there are a number of cafés and a canteen in the hospital that serve a wide range of hot drinks, hot food and snacks.
Facilities for children and young people
As your child is getting better, and as long as they have no infections, they will be able to leave their cubicle and visit the ward playroom.
To reduce the risk of infection, these visits will need to be timed to carefully to avoid any visiting siblings.
Regulations on the ward
The following are not allowed on Fox Ward:
- Flowers – water in the vase can develop a bacterium that can cause infection in children.
- Latex balloons – due to potential allergic reactions.
Everything you bring in for your child should be cleanable to reduce the risk of infection.
We would prefer you to leave soft toys at home unless your child is especially attached to a few favourite ones. These toys have to be washed and tumble-dried before admission. All toys need to be easy to wipe.
If any allocated visitor has been in contact with coughs, colds, tummy bugs or infectious diseases like chicken pox or measles, they will need to wait until they are fully better before visiting.
No child will be allowed in to the ward if they have been in contact with or have chicken pox.
