Week-long celebrations planned to mark Children’s Hospital birthday
Patients and staff from Staffordshire Children’s Hospital at Royal Stoke have come together to celebrate the third birthday of the children’s centre based within Royal Stoke University Hospital.
Staffordshire Children’s Hospital at Royal Stoke launched in March 2020 creating a ‘hospital within a hospital’ concept, providing 100 services of specialist care for young people as part of University Hospitals of North Midlands. A short while after the launch, the national lockdown was announced due to the Covid-19 pandemic with among other changes Children’s Intensive Care Unit (CICU) becoming an Adult Intensive Care Unit for three months, caring for adults suffering from Covid-19 .
Clinical teams have been busy decorating ward areas and the entrance to the hospital with colourful balloons and bunting in celebration of the third birthday. Kicking off the week-long celebration was the team from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), showcasing what care they provide for patients and families in Staffordshire.
Janet Hagan, Senior Matron at Staffordshire Children's Hospital at Royal Stoke, said: “I am delighted that Staffordshire Children’s Hospital is celebrating its third year of being a Children’s Hospital at UHNM.
“It’s been a brilliant first day of celebrations with our Neonatal team showcasing what they do for the local community. Throughout the rest of the week celebrations will continue with various teams being on hand to chat to patients and colleagues about children services.
“We have a fantastic team; they are the golden thread to our service. I am delighted that babies, infants and young adults are receiving specialist care within their own locality and welcoming regional, national and international children into our services. The team here always focuses on the children and families who need us at their most vulnerable time they are our priority.”
Patients and their families have joined in with the celebrations of having a specialist hospital locally, including Stacey Sykes, from Werrington, who praised Staffordshire Children’s Hospital for the specialist care her son Brodie, nine, has received since being diagnosed with Ewsing Sarcoma in July 2022.
Stacey said: “Having Staffordshire Children’s Hospital on our doorstep has helped massively for us as a family. We are a 20 minute car journey away instead of a couple of hours away. Sometimes we are here for long periods of time so having this hospital providing this incredible care for Brodie makes all the difference.
“I found the care to be really good here at Staffordshire Children’s Hospital. Everyone’s really friendly. They are really caring and supportive. Whatever you need here or at home they are always here for you.”
Celebrations will continue throughout the week with clinical teams from Gastroenterology, Palliative Care, Cardiology and the Sleep and Ventilation team all being on hand to speak to patients and their families about the great care and services that are available.
