Patient quote
Send us your comments"Thank you very very much for all the hard work and hands-on care shown to Harley whilst he was recovering. Each and every staff member showed immense consideration towards him and his family. Thank you for making us feel so welcome". Harley's family
Jargon buster
meningitis
Infection of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system).
View the full jargon busterChildrens Services
Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Contact: (0191) 282 9363 - Claire Riddell, Unit Manager
Our Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), based at Newcastle General Hospital, is for seriously ill children from across the North East who need advanced care and highly specialised support. Some of the problems we treat include: kidney failure, coma and convulsions, neonatal problems, head injuries, meningitis and long term ventilation.
Clinical expertise and advanced technology
The highly specialised treatment we provide combines intensive nursing and the latest medical technology to support our patients’ complex needs. This may include assisted ventilation with life support machines, using specialist equipment to take over the functions of the kidneys, or using pumps to deliver essential drugs and to support the heart and circulation. We have special heated beds for tiny babies, as well as cots for infants and larger beds for older children. There are two special isolation cubicles for children with immune system disorders or serious infections, in addition to two other isolation cubicles.
Of course, children can become critically ill at any time of day or night, so we’ve made sure that the PICU is a 24/7, 365 days a year service, so we can respond to emergencies whenever they occur, and you can be reassured that expert staff are always on hand to offer advice and support. We also have a specialist team of nurses and doctors to travel to other hospitals in the region to bring seriously ill children back to the PICU for specialist care.
Special facilities allowing you to stay with your child
All of our team have in-depth intensive care training in looking after seriously ill young patients. We ensure that children's individual needs are looked after and we monitor their progress and vital functions continuously. But we also try and make hospital as enjoyable as possible, and have a nursery nurse on the unit to play with patients and their brothers and sisters.
We appreciate how distressing it can be for you when your child is in hospital. You can visit your child in the PICU at any time and, while the amount of specialist equipment around the PICU beds means there is not enough room for you to sleep next to them, we support all parents as much as possible and can arrange accommodation nearby for you to stay. You can also use the parent’s room, where there is a fridge and microwave, as well as a television and pay telephone.
