About us
Paediatrics is the branch of medicine which focuses on the development of children and the diagnosis and treatment of childhood illness. The paediatric department is based in the newly refurbished Caroline Thorpe Ward on level 2 of the Ladywell Unit and provides a secure child friendly environment. The department runs a variety of specialist clinics, which are held in the Children’s’ outpatient department on level 2 of the main hospital. These include:
- Paediatric cardiology
- Cystic Fibrosis and Respiratory disorders
- Diabetes
- Endocrinology
- Premature Baby follow up
- Haematology
- Neurology
- Oncology
- Opthalmology
- Nephrology
The members of the department work closely with the community children’s services to ensure that any support required by your child outside of hospital is put in place. The department also works closely with colleagues in the adult services as well.
The nursing and medical staff working on the ward are highly experienced as they are constantly working with children of all ages. Being able to communicate appropriately with them and their parents/carers is a key part of their work. They also play an important role in assessing the needs of the child taking into account their medical, social, cultural and family circumstances.
"The staff are lovely, made to feel very welcome. Lots to do but basically it is the quality of the nursing. The ward is obviously run in a very professional way"
Children’s inpatient facilities
Our children’s ward, Caroline Thorpe is located on level 2 of the Ladywell Unit. It includes a purpose-built children’s assessment unit (CAU) and high dependency unit (HDU), state-of-the-art equipment including a cardiac monitoring system, school, playroom, facilities for parents and a resource room for doctor training.
Where can I find more information?
More information on children’s services can be found in our patient information leaflets below:
- Adenoidectomy (child)
- Anaesthetic (children)
- Appendicectomy
- Baby skincare
- Blood transfusion
- Breastfeeding and dental health
- Bronchiolitis
- Bruising or injury to non-mobile children
- Buckle fractures of the wrist in children
- Care of babies experiencing withdrawal symptoms
- Care of children and young people suffering self-harm
- Care of your child after their operation
- Caroline Thorpe Ward, Welcome to
- Child’s bladder and bowel care appointment
- Children’s eye tests
- Children’s pre-operative assessment
- Chronic uveitis in children with arthritis
- Circumcision (child)
- Community Children’s Nursing Team
- Dental health – babies
- Dental health – children
- Dental health – children with additional needs
- Discharge from the Day Surgery Unit (child)
- Electroencephalograph (EEG)
- Eye drops for children’s eye test
- Feverish children – what to do if your child is feverish
- Fluoride varnish
- Foot care for children and adolescents with diabetes
- Gastro-oesophageal reflux in babies
- Head injury (children)
- Hearing assessment – child
- Hearing review appointment – child
- Heart murmurs in a newborn infant
- Helping your child cope with pain
- Hip ultrasound for babies
- Infection in newborns
- Information for parents of extremely premature babies
- Inherited bleeding disorders (mild or moderate) – advice for the parents and carers of children
- Inherited bleeding disorders (severe) – advice for the parents and carers of children
- Jaundice in newborn babies
- Ketamine sedation
- Lumbar puncture in newborn babies
- Melatonin sleep electroencephalograph (EEG) in children
- Moving On for children and young people (age 0 – 18) with diabetes
- MRI scan (children)
- Neonatal outreach service
- Nystagmus in children
- Paediatric Bladder & Bowel Care Service
- Paediatric bladder and bowel appointment: Coronavirus precautions
- Paediatric bladder and bowel care – complex and/or additional needs
- Paediatric High Dependency Unit
- Paediatric Psychology Service
- Pain relief and your baby
- Parent/carer administration of medication whilst in hospital
- Patching therapy
- Patient Initiated Follow-Up (PIFU) – Paediatric bladder and bowel care service
- Patient Initiated Follow-Up (PIFU) – Paediatric Nutrition and Dietetics
- Positional talipes – talipes calcaneo valgus / equino varus
- Protecting your baby from low blood glucose
- Pseudostrabismus
- Reasonable Adjustment Pathway for children and young people
- Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP)
- Safeguarding children and young people
- Skeletal survey examination – information for those with parental responsibility
- Squint surgery in children
- Squint, about
- Structural talipes (club foot)
- Taking an axilla temperature
- The mental & psychological effects of trauma on children
- Transition from the paediatric to adult bladder and bowel care services
- Vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB)
- Wearing glassess
- Your dietitian (children and young person’s diabetes service)
Devon SEND Local Offer
What is the SEND Local Offer?
Devon’s SEND Local Offer is the education, health and social care services and support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) from birth to 25.

Matt Dawson visited Caroline Thorpe Ward in 2012