Woodpecker Same Day Admission Unit

Woodpecker is the same day admission unit (SDAU). Patients come here before having an operation or procedure under anaesthetic.

Woodpecker Same Day Admission Unit has 13 cubicles, a luggage store room and a play room. There are patient bedside entertainment units in each cubicle and there are lots of toys and games for children to play with while they are waiting for their operation or procedure.

Woodpecker Nurses’ station telephone number: 020 7405 9200, ext 0354/ 0355/0356/0672 

If your child has any additional needs, please call in advance to let us know.

Woodpecker is mainly run by our team of nurses and health care assistants, who work closely with the doctors to help prepare for your child for their operation or procedure. Other staff who work on the ward include a play specialist, play worker and ward administrator.

The team on Woodpecker are part of the Theatre team at GOSH and work closely together to ensure theatre lists run efficiently, as well as making sure your child’s admission is completed as quickly and smoothly as possible. 

The following members of staff will be available to help you during your stay on the ward:

• Matron: Claire Waller
• Ward Manager: Philomena Cosgrove

Children come to Woodpecker before an operation or procedure under anaesthetic and are then taken to our operating theatres or procedure areas. Afterwards, they will spend some time in our recovery area before being transferred to their post-operative ward.

Most of the children and young people coming to Woodpecker are being treated by the following specialties – information about specific conditions they treat is available on their specialty pages.

• Specialist Neonatal and Paediatric Surgery (SNAPS) information for parents and visitors

• Urology information for parents and visitors

• Ear, nose and throat information for parents and visitors

• Plastic Surgery information for parents and visitors

• Ophthalmology information for parents and visitors

• Orthopaedic and spine surgery information for parents and visitors

• Dermatology information for parents and visitors

• Rheumatology information for parents and visitors

• Interventional radiology information for parents and visitors

• Neurology information for parents and visitors

• Neurosurgery information for parents and visitors

• Dental and maxillofacial information for parents and visitors

• Cleft lip and palate information for parents and visitors

You are a valued member of your child‘s healthcare team and we encourage you to take part in his or her care as much as possible while in hospital.

Meals are not provided for parents, but food and drink can be bought from various places within the hospital and local area. You may want to bring in your own snacks and drinks but please do not sit in the ‘no food and drink’ zones within the ward for children and young people fasting before surgery. 

Woodpecker also has a play room supervised by our play specialist during office hours but you will be responsible for your child at other times.

For mothers who wish to breastfeed, we provide a dedicated room. We also provide the equipment to 'express' breast milk so your child can be fed through a nasogastric tube, if necessary.