Paediatrics (GP information)

Introduction

The L&D provides a full range of inpatient and outpatient Acute Paediatric services to the local population.

Paediatric Out- Patient Services
Children are seen in the dedicated Children’s Out-patients run by a team of Children’s Nurses, Nursery Nurses and Play Therapists. There are dedicated Phlebotomy clinics, Sweat tests and the nursing team provide Epi-pen training for parents and spirometry.

Paediatric In-patient services
The Paediatric Unit has 54 beds including a 5 Bed Paediatric Admissions Unit (PAU) and facilities for High Dependency Care for children. Unit accepts referral for children up to 16 years of age or completion of academic year 11.

All children admitted to the Trust are looked after on the Paediatric Unit.

The beds are divided into three wards, all located on the 4th floor of the Surgical Block:

  • Squirrel Ward (17 beds) for children under two.
  • Rabbit Ward (17 beds) for medical and longer stay surgical patients including isolation facilities for paediatric oncology patients, and a small adolescent unit.
  • Hedgehog Ward (15 Beds) a “5 day a week” Paediatric Surgical Unit and Day-Case.

Investigation Unit:
When necessary Hedgehog opens overnight to take acute Paediatric admissions.

Referral Process

Referrals are accepted via E-RS only.

General Paediatric referrals will be triaged by the consultant team and allocated to the most appropriate consultant. Where the community services are more suitable, we will inform the referrer and signpost to the most appropriate service.

 

Procedures Provided

We provide both general and specialist paediatric new patient and follow-up clinics including:

  • Allergy
  • Cardiology
  • Cystic fibrosis
  • Dermatology
  • Diabetes
  • Dietetics
  • Endocrinology
  • ENT
  • Epilepsy
  • Gastroenterology & food allergy
  • General Paediatrics
  • Haematology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • HIV
  • Metabolic Diseases
  • Neonatal follow-up
  • Neurodevelopmental follow-up of low birth weight
  • Neurology
  • Oncology
  • Ophthalmology
  • Paediatric General Surgery
  • Paediatric Plastic Surgery
  • Paediatric Physiotherapy
  • Renal
  • Respiratory
  • Rheumatology
  • Tuberculosis

The  L&D  Consultant teams  work  in  partnership  with a variety of Tertiary  Centres,  referring  on  for further investigations and advice where necessary. The L&D team are able to provide subspecialty treatment and care management for the majority of paediatric conditions locally. We are also able to provide outreach clinics for some specialities with visiting Tertiary Consultants.

Clinics

Paediatric Cardiology – Dr Sivakumar and Dr Somisetty

Paediatrics Endocrinology and Diabetes – Dr Nathwani, Dr Misquith and Dr Niranjan

Paediatric Epilepsy and Neurology – Dr Tekki-Rao, Dr Gandhi & Dr Joshi

Paediatric Gastroenterology & food allergy – Dr. Ashworth, Dr Modi, Dr Ramkumar

Paediatric Allergy– Dr Adler & Dr Ingram (respiratory), Dr Rajkowski (anaphylaxis and general), Dr Ashworth & Dr Modi (gut) Dr. DeSilva (dermatology)

Paediatric Oncology – Dr Toyin Lythe, Dr Nair,

Paediatrics– Haematology- Dr Toyin Lythe, Dr Nair

Paediatric Infectious Diseases– Dr. Eisenhut

Paediatric Metabolic Diseases- Dr. Eisenhut

Paediatrics Respiratory & Cystic Fibrosis – Dr. Adler & Dr Ingram

Paediatrics Renal Diseases – Dr Tomasz Rajkowski

Patient Information Leaflets

Clinicians - Consultants/Specialist Nurses

Bedford Hospital

Paediatrics (Children's Services)

DrAnitaD’Urso Lead Paediatric Clinical Psychologist
DrRonnieMisquith Consultant Paediatrician and Clinical Director
DrBabitaKhetriwal Consultant Paediatrician
Luton & Dunstable University Hospital

Paediatrics (Children's Services)

DrVanessaZammit Ventura Consultant Paediatrician
DrBeatrice Zinga Locum Consultant - Haematology and Oncology
DrUsha Niranjan Consultant Paediatrician, Diabetes & Endocrinology
DrAnneIngram Consultant
DrArchana Joshi Consultant
DrBerylAdler Respiratory Lead and Allergy (Divisional Director W&C)    
DrSreeni Tekki-Rao Neurology and Epilepsy Lead
Dr Tomasz Rajkowski Consultant Paediatrician, Renal and Allergy, Departmental Risk and Governance Lead
DrAnitaModi
DrBenilaRavindranathan Consultant Paediatrician
DrMeenaAshworth Consultant
Dr Michael Eisenhut Consultant Paediatrician
DrNishaNathwani Consultant Paediatrician, Diabetes & Endocrinology
DrNishaRamkumar Consultant
DrReshmy Nair Consultant
DrRonnieMisquith Consultant Paediatrician and Clinical Director
DrVanaGandhi Consultant
DrToyinLythe Haematology and Oncology Lead

Useful Contacts

Bedford Hospital
General Manager Tanith Ellis
Tanith.Ellis@ldh.nhs.uk
Clinical Director Dr Ronald Misquith
Ronald.Misquith@ldh.nhs.uk
Luton & Dunstable University Hospital
General Manager Tanith Ellis
Tanith.Ellis@ldh.nhs.uk
The Children's Ward is open for visitors from 08.00-19.30. We welcome parents on the Unit and have 'fold up beds' for one parent to stay overnight with each child
Clinical Director Dr Ronald Misquith
Ronald.Misquith@ldh.nhs.uk
Paediatric Matron: Marva Desir
via switchboard ext. 2340
Outpatients booking department: 01582 561385
Paediatric Reception: 01582 497224
PALS (for patient specific enquiries) 01582 491 166
PALS@ldh.nhs.uk
Switchboard 01582 491166
For urgent paediatric patient assessment please contact Paediatric Assessment Unit (PAU) via switchboard 01582 491166.
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