Located in the Duchess of Kent wing at St. Peter’s Hospital, Ash ward is the heart of acute general paediatric care.  Firmly advocating family centred care the multi-disciplinary team work together offering a 24 hour service to children and young people aged between 0 and 15, and to their families and carers. 

Whatever the reason for your admission to Ash ward, and whether your stay is just overnight or for a longer period, you will be nursed by a friendly team of dedicated paediatric nurses.  The Paediatric medical team work under the direction of the highly experienced Paediatric Consultants, and if you are having a surgical or orthopaedic procedure, doctors from those teams will visit you on the ward. 

The Clinical team will always offer a thorough explanation of procedures but please do voice any questions or concerns you or your family/carers may have at any time.

When you arrive you will be allocated one of the 23 beds that make up Ash ward and the nurse who is looking after you will introduceher/himself and go through the admission procedure with you and your family or carer.

If Mum, Dad or Carer would like to stay with you they are welcome to do so and please see the nurse in charge.  They can either have a fold out bed next to yours, or if they prefer there is a room available in the Parent’s Accommodation adjacent to the ward, where there are tea and coffee making facilities. There is also a microwave which may be used to heat food brought in from home.  Food and hot drinks must be consumed in the Unit and not brought onto the ward.  This is, however, strictly off limits to patients on the ward and we regret we are unable to accommodate siblings. 

Ash ward consists of a toddler bay, a dedicated four bed high dependency unit alongside various cubicles. The cubicles are used for infectious patients or for patients whose immune system is at particular risk.

It is possible that you may initially be placed in a cubicle and later moved into one of the bays during your stay on the ward.

There is a 5 bedded Young Persons Unit catering for 11-15 year olds which also incorporates a “chilling out” area where you can sit and talk, and a kitchenette with a kettle, fridge and microwave. 

Whilst we try to maintain age related areas there may be occasions when this is not possible. 

Meals are provided at 08:00hrs, 12:00hrs and 17:00 hrs and patients/breast feeding mums will be offered the selection from the trolley.  If your family/carer would like to bring something in for you there is a microwave available and they are welcome to so do, however please check first with the nurse in charge if you are observing any particular dietary rules. 

You may use a mobile telephone within the Unit providing consideration is shown to your fellow patients.  Throughout Ash ward there is a television by every bed with a combined telephone.  The television is free until 21:00hrs after this time you will need to purchase a hospicomtelevision/telephone card from machines located outside the ward.  The telephone however will not work between 21:00hrs and 07:00hrs. 

The ward is within a secure Unit – Oak Day Unit and Little Oaks Shared Care Oncology Unit are also encompassed within the Paediatric Unit.  CCTV cameras are located outside the Unit entrance door and visitors will be asked to announce themselves via the intercom system to gain entrance.  This is for the safety of all our patients and we would ask family and friends not to let anyone into the Unit at any time.  We ask that parents only bring one bag in when they stay over and keep their area neat ant tidy to allow nursing and medical staff easy access in the case of an emergency.

We also ask that visitors use the hand gel on entering and leaving the ward and adhere to strict hand washing when entering and leaving cubicle rooms.

The Playroom is located on Oak ward and is open every day Monday – Friday and alternate Saturdays. A member of the Play team will help you choose one of the many activities and if you are unable to leave your bed and want to join in the fun then they will wheel your bed into the Playroom!

Other professional people are likely to visit you on the ward as well as doctors – for instance:

·          Paediatric Physiotherapist,

·          Paediatric Liaison Health Visitor,

·          Paediatric Pharmacist,

·          Paediatric Dietician,

·          Speech and Language Therapist,

·          Pain Control Nurse,

·          Child and Adolescent Mental Health Team,

·          Student nurses and doctors will also be on the ward from time to time working under the supervision of their qualified and experienced colleagues.

Should you need any follow up treatment when you go home, you will be referred to the Children’s Community Nursing Team for you local area.

Anne Lyddall, the Paediatric Diabetes Nurse Specialist will visit you on the ward if you are a patient with diabetes. 

We have a Philosophy of Care on Ash ward which is:

We aim to meet the physical, intellectual, emotional and social needs of children and their families/carers by providing family centred care in accordance with professional guidelines.

Please feel free to approach any member of the team at any time if you have any questions, worries or queries.

Ash Ward nursing team is led by Sister Julie Eade and Sister Anne- Marie Peasey who can be contacted by telephone on 01932 722714 or by email:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  or  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The Paediatric Unit is under the management of the Paediatric Matron Dagmar Gohil who can be contacted via the hospital switchboard on 01932 872000 and ask for bleep number 8-263 or by email  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . 

The Hospital School

The Hospital School is adjacent to Ash ward.  If you are likely to be staying on the ward for a long time arrangements can be made for you to continue your studies at the St. Peter’s Teaching Centre which is for children with medical needs.

The Teaching Centre works closely with patients own schools and medical staff to allow children to continue with education at a time of medical need.  Pupils may be from the ward or attend from home on a daily basis.

For more information on the Teaching Centre please contact the teachers on 01932 723597.