Babies and children's clinic 

A new children’s clinic in York has been set up at the Askham Bar Vaccination Centre to support children under five with breathing difficulties.

The new ‘Paediatric Ambulatory Treatment Hub’ is a collaboration between York and Scarborough Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group, Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group and Nimbuscare. 

This innovative pilot scheme aims to prevent babies and young children coming into hospital unnecessarily with respiratory illnesses.

The dedicated GP and paediatric nurse-led service is now available for babies and children from 3 months to five years of age with all respiratory illness, including croup, bronchiolitis and viral wheezing.

Parents and carers must first contact the child’s GP for an initial assessment who can refer into the clinic if appropriate.

 

They will then be seen by an experienced children’s nurse, working alongside a GP, in a child and family friendly ‘Hub’ at Askham Bar.

Dr Rebecca Brown, clinical lead for the Paediatric Ambulatory Treatment Hub, explained:

“Since launching a few weeks ago, we are adapting the service to meet the needs of local families and have already expanded to including children up to 5 years and we are offering earlier appointments starting at 2.30pm until 8.30pm.

“And we are happy to see babies and young children with all respiratory illnesses now, including Croup, Bronchiolitis and what we call ‘Pre-school Wheeze’ which is a type of breathing difficulty which young children often get.

“It’s important that parents and carers seek advice from their GP first if they are concerned– this way they can come to see us, rather than blocking up the Emergency Department at the hospital.”