The Discovery Unit: NIHR GOSH Clinical Research Facility

We have the same sort of beds, machines and equipment you will see in all hospitals. But in our new unit we also have private bathrooms in each room and foldaway beds so that a grownup can stay with you if you spend the night with us. Best of all is the play area which is jam packed with toys, games and arts and crafts stuff for you to use whenever you want to.

We also have some special things for your parents and carers like a lounge with comfy chairs, a radio and a kitchen so they can make a hot drink and a snack.

Finally, you will see that the Discovery Unit looks different to other parts of the hospital because we have this spacey artwork all over! They are the Discovery Crew, and you are our newest member. Which character is your favourite?

The Discovery Unit is on Level 8, Southwood Building, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Great Ormond Street, London, WC1N 3JH.

Please enter the hospital using Entrance A (Morgan Stanley Clinical Building, Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH.

The entrance on Great Ormond Street is now closed due to building work).

If you are taking a taxi, direct the driver to Guildford Street.

Reception:

Telephone: 020 7405 9200 extension 6892

Lorraine Hodsdon, Head of Nursing and Patient Experience and Co-Director of CRF:

Telephone: 020 7405 9200 extension 6912

Professor Stephen Marks, Director:

Telephone: 020 7405 9200 extension 0510

Nurse in charge:

Telephone: 020 7405 9200 extension 6859

Shanice Williams, CRF Sister:

Telephone: 020 7405 9200 extension 6919

The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS):

Telephone: 020 7829 7862

We have doctors, nurses and play workers just like any other part of GOSH but they might work in a different way.

You will have your own nurse and a doctor, and you might have some other people coming to see you at the Discovery Unit like a physiotherapist, pharmacist, translator or a dietician.

You will also meet lots of other nurses who will work together to look after you.

You might also see some other members of our team who deal with all of our paperwork behind the scenes. They won’t be looking after you, but they are all very friendly and can help you with thing like booking visits and processing expenses.

Nurses

Our Discovery Unit is “nurse led” which means that our nurse team arrange all of your care when you are taking part in a trial.

At the Discovery Unit we have lots of senior research nurses (who wear dark blue uniforms), research nurses (mid blue unform), nursing associates (light blue uniform) and Health Care Assistants (light green uniform). You can find out who the Nurse in Charge for the day is on the noticeboard just past reception.

If you need to speak to a senior nurse, you can ask to speak to our Ward Sister or one of our Matrons.

The Research Transition Team

We’d love it if you could stay with us forever, but clinical trials end for lots of reasons and we have a whole team who are there to support you and your family before, during and after you move on from the Discovery Unit.

They work closely with other teams at GOSH and other hospitals to make sure that you know what to expect and who will be looking after you when you leave our team.

This includes:

• Supporting patients moving onto adult services.
• Supporting patients who go onto be cared for by another hospital or another part of GOSH when their trial ends.
• Helping to set up homecare.
• Supporting patients with learning disabilities or additional needs.
• Creating easy-read guides and visual information.

Our play area

This is our play area which is for you to relax and play. Our Play Worker, Anna can help you to find what you need and knows lots of games and fun things to keep you busy. All toys are sanitised after use so if you are returning items, please pass them to the team to be cleaned.

Bedrooms

All of our rooms have a bed, chairs, a desk, a bedside cupboard for your things and their own private bathroom with a toilet and a shower.

We have foldaway beds that your grown-ups can use if you need to spend the night with us.

We also have a board in each room where your nurse will write down the things that need to happen that day (blood tests) so you can be prepared and tick them off as they get done.

Things for grown-ups

The adults looking after you can use our new family areas like our Parents’ Lounge and Kitchen and Laundry. These are strictly adult only and children are not allowed in because of the boiling water.

Food and drink

The people paying for your research trial may be able to pay for food and drinks for you and your grownups while you are in the Discovery Unit, so please check with your nurse.

If you are staying overnight, your grown up can also get a free meal from The Lagoon, which our reception team can help you with.

If you are having a general anaesthetic or staying overnight, you will be offered lunch or dinner. Your grownups can also make you some toast or cereal if you are with us for breakfast time.

Grownups are welcome to store any food (no nuts please) in the fridge in our Parents’ Lounge. Some other options for food are:

• The Lagoon on the ground floor is open every day and opening hours are clearly described outside. Within the Lagoon, you can buy a hot meal, as well as snacks and sandwiches. There is also a coffee shop within the serving barista-made hot drinks, sandwiches and snacks.
• There are vending machines just outside The Lagoon where you can buy hot and cold drinks and snacks.
• The Brunswick Shopping Centre is less than 10 minutes away.
• Tesco Express is just opposite Russell Square Underground Station on Bernard Street.
• Many visitors also order deliveries.