Island Day Unit is an eight-bed ward on Level 7 of the Southwood Building at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH).
This is a day care ward for children who are having investigations or operations under anaesthetic. Children come for their investigations or operations and go home the same day.
Most children who come to the ward are under general surgery, ophthalmology, orthopaedics and dermatology.
But we also treat children from a wide range of other specialties such as plastics, oncology, rheumatology, urology and dental.
Occasionally, we also see children who need infusions or transfusions.
Island Day Unit
Level 7, Southwood Building
Great Ormond Street Hospital
Great Ormond Street
London
WC1N 3JH
Map Island Day Unit telephone number: 020 7813 8454
For urgent attention outside of office hours please call the switchboard on 020 7405 9200 and ask for the doctor on call for your post-operative ward.
This will be one of the following:
You can learn more about our clinical specialties by visiting:
Staff on the ward
Island Day Unit is primarily run by our highly qualified nursing team, but also includes healthcare assistants and ward administrators.
The following members of staff will be available to help you during your stay on the ward:
- Tracey Norris, Head of Nursing
- Claire Waller, Ward Manager
- Tina Matharu, Ward Administrator
Conditions we treat
Island Day Unit covers all areas of surgery.
Ward information
The ward is open five days a week, Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 7.30pm.
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 allocated 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.
Please tell us if your child has a preference for being with other children of their own age and/or gender.
We will try to meet this request where possible. Please remember that sometimes requests cannot be met, for instance in high dependency or intensive care areas.
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.
Island Day Unit is a daycare ward so there are no overnight facilities for families.
Some parents can use the Paul O’Gorman Patient Hotel, also known as Weston House, when they need to stay overnight:
- You must live at least 25 miles away from the hospital.
- The child must be able to stay with a parent at hotel.
- Only one parent can stay, although exceptions can be made. This depends on the investigations being carried out.
For more information read our
family accommodation factsheet. There are free hot and cold drinks for parents on the ward. We can organise light snacks like biscuits, toast, yoghurt, cereals, jelly and ice cream for children, although the unit does not have a food trolley service.
If your child can eat more substantial food, this can be bought from the various catering facilities within the hospital and local area.
These are all open Monday to Friday, except the dining room which is open seven days a week.
Island Day Unit has a play area with lots of toys for children to play with. Children should be supervised by an adult at all times when in the play area. Please make sure all toys are tidied away afterwards.
Regulations on the ward
The following are not allowed on Island Day Unit:
- Flowers – water in the vase can develop a bacterium that can cause infection in children.
- Latex balloons – due to potential allergic reactions.
There are areas of the ward where there is strictly no eating allowed. A nurse will tell you about these when you arrive.
There is limited space on Island Day Unit so only two adults can be with each child on the ward.
Siblings and other children should not be brought to the ward so please make alternative arrangements for their care on the day of your child’s procedure. Breast-fed babies are an exception.
