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Cancers

The Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital offers a comprehensive oncology service for children with cancer and their families from the areas covered by Norfolk and Norwich University NHS Foundation Trust and the James Paget University Hospital NHS Trust.

The service operates within the East of England Cancer Alliance as a shared care centre with Addenbrooke’s Hospital Cambridge. The Paediatric oncology service based in Norwich is one of the largest shared care centres in the region. In addition to providing high quality anti-cancer treatments (chemotherapy), we also provide full supportive care for medical, nursing, nutritional, emotional and psychological needs of patients and families.

What does this mean for our children and families?

This means that children and their families can receive high quality, safe care and support locally and do not have to travel to Cambridge frequently. The majority of chemotherapy and supportive care that children with cancer require is provided in Norwich.

Services provided

  • All day care chemotherapy infusions for children under 16 years of age undergoing active treatment for cancer on the Children’s Day Ward;
  • Weekly Consultant led Oncology Outpatient Clinics. This clinic is supported by nurse specialists, child psychologists, paediatric dietitian and play specialists;
  • Quarterly clinics with a visiting paediatric oncologist and paediatric haematologist from Addenbrooke’s;
  • 24/7 open access policy for urgent medical review of chemotherapy and disease related complications. Children that require admission are nursed in designated side rooms within the hospital;
  • Nutritional support including home enteral feeding service provided by paediatric dietetics;
  • Psychology support for children and families from two dedicated child psychologists;
  • Liaison with school by Cancer Nurse Specialists in conjunction with Regional Paediatric Palliative medical service and EACH at The Nook;
  • Palliative care for children with incurable cancer and symptom management when necessary;
  • Off treatment follow-up clinics for children who have completed cancer treatment including bone-marrow transplantation.
  • Low risk febrile neutropenia pathway allows for patients to be managed at home with daily telephone updates from the team.

Other Support Services

  • The ‘Big C’ cancer information and family centre on site;
  • Spiritual care is available to any patient/parent requiring emotional care and support outside of the care offered by their doctor or nurse. Whilst this service covers religious care including advise on how to access other religious leaders, spiritual non-religious care is also offered;
  • A transition service for leukaemia and lymphoma patients to the adult service for patients with haematological conditions. Transitional care for young people with solid tumour is under development;
  • End of life care and bereavement support for patients and families in conjunction with the Children’s Hospice team at The Nook and the Regional Paediatric Palliative medical service.

How to access our services

  • Consultant Paediatrician (Lead): Dr Jo Ponnampalam – tel: 01603 287622 
  • Consultant Paediatrician (Deputy Lead): Dr Adeeb Ahmed – tel: 01603 287622
  • Nurse Specialists: Kate Stanton and Holly Woolsey – tel: 01603 287852
  • Child Psychologists: Dr Louise Morgan/Dr Bob Budd
  • Paediatric Specialist Dietitian: Emily Coby – tel: 01603 287011
  • The Nook (EACH), Pigot Lane, Framingham Earl: tel: 01603 967596
  • Hospital Chaplaincy: tel: 01603 287470;  Leaflet available for families within the Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital. Chaplaincy

Clinics

  • Weekly oncology consultant led clinics Wednesday 2-6pm (including new referrals)
  • Off treatment/long term follow up clinics monthly as below:
    • Mondays (Dr Adeeb Ahmed)
    • 2nd and 4th Tuesday 12-4pm (Dr Ponnampalam)
    • 2 week wait referral clinic – weekly
    • Low risk febrile neutropenia Tele clinic – daily

Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) meetings

  • Core MDT meetings: All the core members of our MDT meet every week on a Monday.
  • Extended MDT meetings (via Microsoft teams with the Principal Treatment Centre) are held monthly on the 4th Friday of the month.

Research

Current clinical trials include research into childhood leukaemia, brain tumours and other solids tumours. All oncology patients are offered the opportunity to participate in national clinical trials where available. Research is done in accordance with a specific, signed research and development agreement between NNUH and Addenbrooke’s Hospital.

Clinical Guidelines

All Paediatric clinical guidelines are on the NNUH Trust intranet. This includes the regional Paediatric Oncology Supportive Care Guidelines. All other oncology treatment protocols used are easily accessed from the Childhood Cancer and Leukaemia Group (CCLG) website.

Audit

Paediatric Oncology at the Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital is actively involved as part of this process in conducting regional audits. Local audits are also performed to ensure compliance with recommended published standards and ways in which local cancer care may be continually improved. Emphasis is also given to patient/parent satisfaction surveys and ongoing improvement in services based on user suggestions.

Teaching and Training

Teaching and training for both medical and nursing staff is given high importance. Consultants Jo Ponnampalam  and Adeeb Ahmed  are both actively involved in the training of junior and middle grade doctors’ education as part of the regular teaching programme to medical staff. Nurse specialists Kate Stanton and Holly Woolsey are involved in nurse education and training. They ensure that essential oncology topics are covered during Trust mandatory training sessions on a regular basis, maintaining cytotoxic administration skills of nurse colleagues and enhancing knowledge base in oncology of Paediatric nurses within the Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital. In addition, the Paediatric oncology core team members actively participate in combined regional teaching sessions within the East of England Cancer Alliance

Opening Times

Please note: 24/7 opening times for emergencies

  • Consultant Led service for Paediatric Oncology Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm – tel: 01603 287622
  • Nurse Specialists Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm (phone messages checked regularly) – tel: 01603 287852
  • Dietetic service Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm 01603 287011
  • Paediatric Oncology Psychologists – Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm – tel: 01603 287545
  • Children’s Assessment Unit Open 24/7 – tel: 01603 289774
  • Children’s Day Ward Monday – Friday 7am – 6pm – tel: 01603 287170
  • Buxton Children’s Ward Open 24/7 – tel: 01603 287405

Useful Websites

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