About Southampton Children's Hospital

Our values

We are committed to providing care for children and supporting their families to the highest possible standard. This is at the heart of our continuing vision to be an excellent provider of children’s acute care.

Patient and family-centred care

We recognise that young people heal best when their families are part of the team.

Our team is committed to providing patient and family centred care, an approach now embraced in paediatric facilities around the world.

The key principals are:

• Dignity and respect
• Information sharing
• Participation
• Working together.

A teaching hospital

We are a teaching hospital for doctors, nurses and other health staff. A student may ask to talk to you or your child and/or examine your child.

We encourage parents to participate but if you have any concerns, or do not wish to take part, please speak to your child’s doctor or nurse.

Our research

Research is essential to the NHS to provide the best, most up to date treatments for children and their families. We take part in many national and local research studies, as part of the Southampton Centre for Biomedical Research and the South Central Children’s Research Network. As part of this exciting work you may be approached during your child’s stay and asked if you would like your child to take part in an approved research study. Please feel free to ask any questions.

Standards of care and behaviour

While your child is a patient at our hospital, you can expect to:

• Have a clear explanation of his or her condition and the treatment options available
• Be asked for your fully informed consent to any operation or procedure
• Be sure that the information in your child’s records will remain confidential
• Be treated with dignity and respect at all times
• Be informed about different aspects of your child’s treatment and what procedures are being carried out
• To be kept informed of your child’s progress.

You may apply to see your child’s records if you wish. Please ask a member of staff for an application form.

In return, we ask you to:

• Provide us with the necessary information about your child’s condition, symptoms or medication so we can give them appropriate care
• Treat our staff with the same courtesy and respect you expect from them
• Be considerate to other parents and their children
• Assist, as far as you feel able, in your child’s care
• Arrange your child’s transport home
• Arrange with your family or friends to help take care of your child’s personal laundry where possible.