Published on: 27 July 2021
Healthcare leaders are reminding parents and families in South Tyneside of important changes to children’s A&E services which will take place next week.
On Wednesday 4 August 2021, children’s A&E services at South Tyneside District Hospital will change to become a new nurse-led urgent care service.
‘South Tyneside Urgent Care for Children’ will continue to be open from 8am until 10pm every day, based in exactly the same location at South Tyneside District Hospital. The service will continue to see and treat the vast majority of children who attend hospital with urgent, but not life threatening, problems.
Staffed by highly experienced nurse practitioners who have trained and worked in emergency care over many years, the new nurse-led urgent care service in South Tyneside will treat children from birth, up to the age of 16, for a range of injuries and illnesses which are urgent but not life threatening. This includes, for example:
- Broken bones
- Children with mild breathing problems
- Common childhood infections in the chest, ears or throat
- Children who are being sick or have diarrhoea
- Cuts and open wounds that need closing
- Minor burns
- Minor bumps or head injuries
- Sprained ankles or strained muscles.
The children’s nursing team at South Tyneside District Hospital are highly qualified healthcare professionals. They do many of the things that traditionally would have been done by a doctor in the past such as organising diagnostic tests, scans or x-rays, interpreting the results and beginning treatment.
As part of the change, children with any major, life threatening problems will be cared for at Sunderland Royal Hospital, as they already are overnight. Any children who arrive in South Tyneside and need more specialist care, will be safely transferred.
To ensure local people in South Tyneside are aware of the new nurse-led urgent care service for children a widespread public awareness and information campaign is now underway. This includes targeted information for schools and parents or carers of young children across the Borough.
Clinical Director and Consultant Paediatrician at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, Dr Lorna Gillespie, said: “Next week our children’s A&E service in South Tyneside will be moving to a nurse-led urgent care centre and it is important that the local people of South Tyneside are aware of these important changes.
“The paediatric nursing team at South Tyneside District Hospital really are experts in their field and already look after the vast majority of children who attend hospital with an urgent problem. Although we will continue to see and treat the vast majority of children locally in South Tyneside, it is important that people understand the new service and where to go if they are worried about their child.
“As always, we would remind people to call NHS 111 if they need urgent medical advice about their child and, of course, dial 999 in a life threatening emergency.”
South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust is working closely with all health and care partners, including local GPs and the North East Ambulance Services to ensure a smooth transition to the new nurse-led urgent care service. To find out more about the changes visit www.stsft.nhs.uk.
