New children’s observation hub coming to Wakefield

Worried parents could be offered support to look after ill children at home where it’s safe to do so thanks to a new children’s observation hub being piloted across the district this winter.

The new hub aims to improve patient care for around 140 children and their families every week and reduce unnecessary trips to the emergency department (ED) and children’s assessment unit (CAU) at Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust.

Parents and carers of youngsters aged three months to 16 years old who are assessed with amber symptoms of fever, respiratory illness or tummy upset can be referred to the hub by their GP practice or out-of-hours service for remote monitoring or physical observation if needed for a period of time.

Amber symptoms, such as high temperature and vomiting, are treated safely every day by doctors and nurses working in primary care and do not require emergency assessment or treatment in hospital unless they become severe.

From the new children’s observation hub, local GPs and nurses working closely with the paediatric team at the hospital, can help parents and carers carefully and confidently monitor their ill child at home through phone, video and face-to-face appointments. The hub is open from 4pm to 12am, seven days a week, providing treatment and reassessment throughout the evening and referring the child to hospital without delay if they start to get worse.

The hub runs as a pilot from mid-October 2023 to mid-February 2024 and is being delivered by Conexus Healthcare CIC, a GP-led, not-for-profit group made up of all GP practices in Wakefield on behalf of Wakefield Council and Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust.

If you are the parent or carer of an ill child who’s eligible for care in the children’s observation hub this winter, your GP or nurse will give you further information at your appointment.