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Conditions pages - the conditions pages contained within this section are to provide parents/carers with links to information, help and guidance from external sources brought together on a condition specific page.
 CHOOSE A CONDITION - the drop down list on the right will take you to specific condition pages which hold links to more specialist websites |
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Contact a Family have produced a really useful guide to accessing information on the internet. Download a copy here.
Child Development - there are two very useful websites available to offer advice about normal child development and milestones.
 Change 4 Life Would you like loads of ideas and help to give your family a happier, healthier future? Change4Life is a useful site produced by the NHS which offers advice and guidance around healthy eating and lifestyles. As part of Change4Life, you will receive tons of helpful information, games, tools, tips and a free welcome pack. You can also search for what is happening in your local community. |
Being Healthy - NHS Direct 0845 4647 NHS Direct is a phone service staffed by nurses and professional advisors, giving confidential healthcare advice and information 24 hours a day. You can call NHS Direct on 0845 4647 and calls are charged at local rate. NHS Direct allows you to speak directly to experienced nurses and professional advisors about your health problems and questions. Using their skills and experience and an extensive computer system,
NHS Direct can then give you advice on what to do next. NHS Direct can also give you general information on local health services, such as late-night pharmacies, out of hours dentists or support groups, or more in-depth information about any condition you or a family member may have.
NHS Direct Self Help Guide: this is available on line and in booklet form. It contains advice on the most common symptoms people contact NHS Direct about, and offers guidance on how to deal with them. The web address is www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk. If you want a copy of the book, it can be picked up in pharmacies and GP surgeries, or ring 08701 555 455 to order your free copy.
Three NHS Trusts provide healthcare in Sunderland:
City Hospital NHS Trust - aims to deliver a first class, comprehensive health care service to meet the needs of the local population. The Trust provides mainly acute services, but also provides a range of community based services. City Hospitals NHS Trust provides a number of services for disabled children and young people, and some of these are listed below.
Sunderland Teaching Primary Care Trust - provides a range of primary healthcare services for patients across the city. It is the organisation which manages the delivery of front-line patient care through General Practitioners (GPs) and nurses at local surgeries, dentists, opticians and pharmacists throughout the city. . For information about services and treatment call: The Patient Advice Liaison Service Tel: 0800 731 2326 To find a GP, dentist, pharmacy or optician in your area click here.
Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Trust - is one of the largest mental health and disability Trusts in England employing more than 7,000 staff, serving a population of approximately 1.4 million, providing services across an area totaling 2,200 square miles. The Foundation Trust work from over 160 sites across Northumberland, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Gateshead, South Tyneside, Sunderland and North Easington and have a number of regional and national specialist services.
Community Children's Nursing Team - is a team of specialist children's community nurses and nursery nurses, specialising in the areas of endocrinology, the care of children with complex medical needs, diabetes, epilepsy, gastroenterology and cystic fibrosis. They assess the needs and develop programmes of care to facilitate and co-ordinate effective home care management for children/young people and their families. They also offer home support, education and training for parents around care, and carry out school visits. |
Occupational Therapy - The Occupational Therapy outpatient service provides assessment and advice regarding fine and gross motor skills, coordination, sensory processing, visual perception, independence and functioning in all areas of daily living. This may include assessment for equipment and environmental alterations in school. The child may be seen at the Durham Road Children’s Centre, the Child Development Unit, in specifically identified Special Educational Needs Schools or in Hospital. The Occupational Therapy Service accepts referrals from the child’s Consultant associated with Sunderland Royal Hospital.
The Occupational Therapy Orthopaedic inpatient service includes assessment for equipment and minor alterations to facilitate hospital discharge. Children may be seen within the home or hospital environment. |
Neurodisability Team - This consultant-led specialist team manages children and young people with a range of established and potential disabilities, usually referred on from consultants, GPs, other doctors, Health Visitors or Therapists.
Children and young people may be seen in a range of settings including children's outpatient department, special school clinic, on the children's wards and sometimes at home.
The service offers diagnostic assessment, support and ongoing management, linking closely with others in health, education, children's services and voluntary agencies as appropriate to the individual's needs. Specialist palliative care is offered for children and young people with life limiting conditions. |
General Paediatric Services - A team of consultant paediatricians and children's nurses provides secondary health care for children and young people. There are two children's wards and also a High Dependency Unit for children and young people who are very ill and need specialist nursing care. Children and young people are usually referred by the GP, either for an outpatient appointment, or for inpatient care when the child is acutely unwell.
The Paediatric Accident and Emergency department assesses and treats children and young people with injuries. Children and young people who are unwell should be seen first by the GP, but my then be sent for a second opinion to the paediatric team at the hospital. |
Neonatal Services - The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit manages babies born prematurely or who become ill at birth or in early life. The Neonatal team manage babies on the unit and also follow up graduates of the unit or other babies who have been identified as having health problems early on. The Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioners offer rapid access clinics for babies whose parents/carers are concerned about their progress. |
Child Psychiatry Team - provide assessment and treatment of emotional and psychiatric disorders in children under the age of sixteen. This includes individual/group therapy, Art Therapy, Cognitive Therapy and Family Therapy. They also provide parental support, and parent groups.
Referrals can be made to the Team by Children's Services professionals (Social Workers, Educational Psychologists, Youth Offending Team Workers) or by Health Service professionals (GP, Paediatricians, Community Nurses, School Nurses and Health Visitors) |
Physiotherapy - physiotherapists deliver children's services to children who have posture, movement and co-ordination difficulties. Children are seen at home, in the Child Development Unit, nurseries, special and mainstream schools. Hydrotherapy can also be offered where appropriate.
Physiotherapists attend appliance clinics and wheelchair clinics, and carry out rheumatology, orthopaedic and neurodevelopmental work based at the Children's Centre. There is also close liaison with Occupational Therapists.
Children and young people can be referred to the Paediatric Physiotherapy Service by either a consultant or their GP. |
Speech and Language Therapy -provides packages of care depending upon the needs of the child. They work with children aged 0 - 19 with disordered/severely delayed development of communication, language, speech, voice or fluency. The Team also work with children and young people with eating/swallowing problems. This may include direct input (with a group or individual children), or with parents/carers, while also providing advice/training/support to parents and other professionals.
There is an open referral system and forms are available from the address below. However, a medical referral is needed for eating/swallowing problems.
For more information contact: Speech and Language Therapy Department, Children's Centre, Durham Road, Sunderland SR3 4AF Tel: (0191) 565 6256
Extension 49122 |
The Child Development Unit - Many disabled children start off being cared for by general paediatricians and neonatal specialists. Some continue under the care of these consultants, whilst others may be referred to the Child Development Unit. This is a consultant-led multi-agency centre for the assessment, diagnosis and management of pre-school children where there are concerns about the child's development, including concern about autism spectrum disorders. Referrals come from Health Visitors, General Practitioners, Paediatricians, Child & Family Mental Health Services and Therapists.
Information leaflets are available from Marilyn Lay, Child Development Unit Co-ordinator: Child Development Unit, Children’s Centre, Durham Rd, Sunderland, SR3 4AF Tel: (0191) 565 6256 (extension 45244) |
Sunderland Eye Infirmary - Sunderland Eye Infirmary is one of the hospitals within the City Hospitals NHS Trust. It is located on Queen Alexandra Road. For more information contact: Sunderland Eye Infirmary, Queen Alexandra Road, Sunderland, SR2 9HP Tel: 0191 528 3616 |
Health Visiting Service - The Health Visiting Service comprises of health visitors, staff nurses and nursery nurses. Health visitors are experienced registered nurses who undergo advanced training and mainly work with families with young children. They work closely with social care, education and other health care professionals. Their aim is to improve the health and well being of individuals and communities, by helping people to improve their own health. The service is available to everyone.
Staff Nurses are registered nurses who work with individuals and groups towards healthier lifestyles. Nursery Nurses are skilled in child care and development and work with families and groups under the direction of the health visitor. For further information please visit the Sunderland TCPT's website. |
Health Visitor for children and young people with additional needs - Diane Watson is Health Visitor for children and young people with additional needs. She works with children from 0-19 years. This involves giving advice and information to members of the Primary Care Team (GP, family health visitor, nurse etc) to help them when working with the child and family. For more information contact: Diane Watson, Gilpin House, Blind Lane, Houghton le Spring, DH4 5HX Tel: 0191 5662190 |
Community Nursing Team: Children with Learning Disabilities - This small team provides a specialist service to children aged 0-18 years with a learning disability. Their aim is to provide a range of specialist therapeutic interventions including:
• Behaviour Therapy
• Individual Therapy
• Psychological support to children and families
• Management of mental health
• Parenting Advice
• Epilepsy Management
• Skills development for children and families
Referrals come from any healthcare professionals, social workers, schools or day care staff, or families can also refer themselves. Following a referral, a short assessment would indicate the level of intervention required at that time. With the patient’s permission they can also refer to other agencies should they feel they could offer a more appropriate service. The Team can be contacted at: Services for Disabled Children, Gilpin House, Blind Lane, Houghton le Spring, DH4 5HX Tel: 0191 566 2190 |
School Nursing Service - The school nursing service is provided to all children from 4-18 years. The service includes:
- A Nurse led school health service
- Annual health needs assessment of the school age population.
- School health screening and assessment.
- Health protection programmes such as immunisations and vaccination against infectious diseases.
- Health promotion sessions, e.g. to promote healthy lifestyles at schools supporting teaching staff
- SENCOs by providing health advice for children with special needs
- Monitoring and supporting vulnerable children and families
Four special schools in Sunderland have their own on-site school nurse and medical support. All schools have a named nurse and health care assistant. Providing drop-in sessions for children in school for any health issues Advice and support for any child who develops health or learning problems.
For more information contact: School Nurse Manager, Children’s Centre, Durham Road, Sunderland, SR3 4AF Tel: 0191 5656256 extension 45230 Fax: 0191 5699262 |
Tickets Please!
Tickets Please is a scheme which provides one off travel grants for disabled or disadvantaged people needing to make therapeutic journeys. These include journeys to enable parents to visit sick children being treated elsewhere, or to enable people to access treatment.
Individuals and families living across the UK are eligible to apply but priority is given to applications involving children and young people when funds are low. Journeys should have some therapeutic or rehabilitative value for either the person traveling or the person being visited. To find out more visit the Attlee Foundation website.
Puberty and Sexuality - The Children's Learning and Disability Nursing Team, Leeds have developed an award winning teaching pack designed to be taught to learning disabled children and young people between the ages of 9-18 years old. It is acknowledged however that depending on the age and the cognitive ability this may vary. It has been designed to include the needs of children and young people with severe learning disability to deliver extensive knowledge appropriate to this group but equally comparable to their mainstream peers.
The pack is based on information from a variety of sources and supporting evidence. It uses an array of visual and tactile resources to enable children to maximise their learning including dance and movement, anatomically correct dolls, role play and experiential learning. It can be used with both individuals and groups of children and is effective in school, residential and home environments. Download a PDF of the pack here.
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