Children's services
We provide a wide range of services for children in Medway and Swale from birth to 18 years of age.
There are two hospital wards dedicated to providing medical treatment for children (Dolphin and Penguin Ward), along with a specialist baby care unit for premature newborns (Oliver Fisher Special Baby Care Unit). We also have a dedicated Children’s Emergency Department, which works alongside our Emergency Department.
A range of specialist services, including Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder Service, School Health Service and Learning Disabilities Service, are delivered in the community.
Services are provided by teams of professionals that include paediatricians, neonatologists, specialist nurses and midwives and allied health professionals in children’s health.
Children's outreach and specialist team
The children’s outreach and specialist team are a hospital based team providing a service to children outside of the hospital with life-threatening and life-limiting illnesses, aiming to keep them out of hospital as much as possible.
The oncology nurses are partially funded by the children’s cancer charity, CLIC Sargent.
Community nursing team for children and young people with learning disabilities
This team of registered nurses and school health support workers aims to assist children and young people to meet their optimum physical, emotional and intellectual potential. Their philosophy is that children who have a learning disability are children above all else, with full and equal rights as that of their peers.
Some of the services and interventions they offer include:
- post diagnostic counselling
- safeguarding
- asssessment of the physical, social and emotional needs of the individual
- managing behaviours associated with learning disability
- teaching and developing appropriate social skills
- health education and promotion
- continence promotion
- teaching and supporting others to meet the health and medical needs of the child/young person
- family and carer support
- immunisation and vaccination
- hands on nursing and emergency care within the school environment
- transition planning
Security at the hospital
During your stay at Medway Maritime Hospital, the safety and care of both you and your child are of paramount importance to us. Please read the information below so that you are aware of the safety measures in place at the hospital and how you can help us to ensure that you and your child are safe while with us.
- All doors to ward areas are kept locked and only members of staff that work in the unit can gain entry via their identification badge. An intercom and security cameras are used to assess visitors before entry onto hospital wards. Please help us by ensuring that your visitors are aware that they should not allow others to follow them in when entering our wards
- Please ensure that you NEVER leave your child unattended. If you need to leave your child for any reason, please inform a member of staff straight away
- All newborn babies have an identification tag; please let us know straightaway if your baby’s tag comes off
- All our staff wear an identification badge; if you cannot see it please ask them to show it to you
- If you notice any incident that causes you concern please inform a member of staff immediately
Find us
Dolphin ward and Penguin assessment unit
Level 2
Green zone
Children's outreach and specialist team
Level 2
Green zone
Community Nursing team for children and young people with learning disabilities
Residence 13, on the perimeter road of the hospital