Patients being treated for cancer, leukaemia and blood disorders at Sheffield Children’s Hospital will soon be able to recover in a lighter, brighter space as work gets underway to transform their ward.
Funded by donations to The Children’s Hospital Charity, the work is part of a wider ambition to give every child outstanding care in excellent facilities.
To allow the work to be completed before the funding deadline of November this year, the existing ward moved into a new space in the hospital this week.
Ruth Brown, acting chief executive of Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We’re so excited to get started on transforming this ward.
“The children who need Ward 6 often need to stay with us a long time – sometimes more than a year – so the environment makes so much difference to them.
“We already have amazing colleagues supporting children and their families and this work will bring the space and facilities to the same high standard.”
She added: “We’ve already got some fantastic environments at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, like the three new wards and outpatient department we opened in 2018 and the safeguarding support unit we opened in 2019.
“Combined with our plans for the future such as the redevelopment of the emergency department and construction of a helipad, we are well on our way to achieving our ambition of outstanding patient care for all.”
The new ward will be the principal treatment centre for children with cancer and leukaemia from babies through to 19-year-olds within South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and North Derbyshire.
The old ward was outdated, but will be transformed to better support patients and their families
As well as a larger, brighter space, there will be a bigger and better playroom situated in the heart of the ward. This will maximise the view of Weston Park, making patients feel connected to the outside while they are recovering.
There will also be improved spaces for parents to stay with their children.
Other features include improved storage and space for computer workstations, specialised visual aids and multimedia equipment, and more space to accommodate patients with or without walking aids, in a wheelchair, or requiring assistance.
The ward as it looks now
Dr Dan Yeomanson, consultant paediatric oncologist at the hospital, said: “I am really proud of the care we deliver on Ward 6, but this appeal is about the patient experience and that’s why the charity funding is so important.
“The NHS provides a level of kit and specification which is effective, and The Children’s Hospital Charity’s support will allow us transform the whole department, improving families’ experience of the care, and help make an extremely-stressful time easier to manage.”
