KGH moves its paediatric ward, Skylark Ward to an alternative ward
In response to the growing pandemic, today Kettering General Hospital has moved its children from its paediatric ward (Skylark Ward) to an alternative ward within the hospital to cope with the rising number of Covid-19 patients who require urgent care.
Please note that this is a temporary, internal ward change within KGH, and no other children’s services – including paediatric A&E - are affected. We will transfer ward services back to Skylark as soon as possible.
Skylark’s 26-bed ward area is becoming a medical ward to cope with the rising number of Covid-19 patients who require hospital treatment.
Eileen Doyle, Chief Executive for Kettering General Hospital, said: “Our bed capacity is already under extreme pressure and we have to plan for even more patients with coronavirus.
“We currently have 178 beds occupied with positive patients including 13 patients needing intensive care.
“By taking over this ward – which is close to intensive care – we can ensure Covid-19 patients have the appropriate – and potentially life-saving – care that they need.”
A very small number of children from Skylark Ward are moving to Maple Ward – a green (Covid free) 15-bed gynaecology ward in the hospital’s maternity unit – along with paediatric staff and appropriate equipment.
Patients from Maple Ward have been transferred to Poplar Ward – a medical ward based in Rockingham Wing with medical patients moving on to other Trust wards as appropriate. This will enable Skylark Ward to take appropriate Covid-19 patients from the Trust’s other medical wards this week.
Eileen said: “We apologise to each of our patients and their families who have been inconvenienced by these moves but I am sure they will understand that saving lives must be our top priority.
“Our specialist paediatric team have been working very hard to prepare for this eventuality and our local community can be assured that children needing hospital care will continue to get the high quality individualised care they have always received.”
All of the families of the patients involved have been contacted and the move explained to them with support in place for them.
Staff have also spoken with other families to assure them that the hospital continues to provide its normal paediatric care, with the same staff, albeit in a temporary location.
Children with long-term care plans or open access should continue to use our hospital services as they always have done. The only change is the ward they will need to temporarily attend Maple Ward if hospital-based care is required.
The hospital’s children’s A&E department will remain where it is in the ground floor of the Foundation Wing and continue to provide care as normal.
Paediatric outpatients services will continue to operate as they have been operating. Families should attend their appointments as specified in their appointment letter.
Eileen said: “Taking this action is a measure of the seriousness of our current situation. To our local community I would say support us by staying at home, observing hands, face, space, and sticking to all of the lockdown rules.
“A big thank you to everyone who is already following this guidance – you are helping to prevent further infections and loss of life.
“I would also like to thank all of our staff who continue to work hard to meet the challenges of the pandemic.”