Kangaroo Ward

Kangaroo Ward cares for children and young people who need long term respiratory support such as breathing with the help of a ventilator.There are nine beds, each in a single cubicle with en-suite bathroom facilities. One room is especially set aside for children and young people having a sleep study.

Kangaroo Ward is on Level 2 of the new Premier Inn Clinical Building (PICB), part of the Mittal Children’s Medical Centre at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

• Ward reception –020 7405 9200 ext 6172
• Nurses’ station – 020 7813 8339

For urgent admissions outside of office hours, please call the switchboard on 020 7405 9200 and ask for the doctor covering the respiratory team.

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

Kangaroo Ward is mainly run by our team of nurses and healthcare assistants, who work closely with the doctors to prepare your child for discharge to home or another facility. 

Other staff who work on the ward include a discharge team, physiotherapists, social workers, occupational therapists, a play specialist, music therapist, dietitian and housekeeping staff.

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

• Matron: Anne MacNiven
• Ward Manager: Jodian Pringle
• Respiratory Ventilation Clinical Nurse Specialists: Garry Rendle, Vicky Robinson and Jenny Taylor

Children and young people staying on Kangaroo Ward have various conditions that mean they need help with their breathing. These include: chronic lung disease, complex respiratory conditions and complex neuro-muscular disorders.

Occasionally, if your child’s condition changes, they might be transferred to another ward, usually Leopard Ward. 

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. Parents are welcome to use the ward kitchen outside of patient mealtimes to prepare these.

Kangaroo Ward has a spacious play/sensory room, which has been designed to meet the needs of children with complex needs, their brothers and sisters and families. The room will continue to be supervised by our play specialist and ward staff during office hours for children staying on the ward. You will be responsible for brothers and sisters as you are now.

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.