Our paediatric teams provide specialist care from before birth, through childhood and into teenage years, for children with cardiac and respiratory conditions.
Once patients reach around 16 years of age, they begin their transition to adult services, and ensuring a smooth transition is vital for their health and wellbeing.
Children with respiratory illness, congenital heart disease and acquired heart disease often need lifelong care. They have spent their young lives being cared for by children's team and it can be a worrying time for them and their families when it comes to moving on from that familiar environment.
Specialist transition nurses help plan, prepare and move young people from children's services to adult healthcare. This is a gradual process of change, giving young people and their families time to adjust and feel ready to make the move.
An important aspect of this programme is a range of transition days that provide the opportunity to meet key members of the adult teams.
Find out more:
GOSH patients meet the Harefield team
Special events give the young patients the chance to become acquainted with their new clinical care team and have a tour of Harefield Hospital
Transition event inspires young heart patients with learning disabilities
An inspiring event for young heart patients who have a learning disability has helped them prepare to move on to adult services.