Children’s Outpatients Department
Welcome to the Children’s Outpatients Department. The department is staffed with paediatric consultants, and healthcare assistants. In our department, we see children with many different medical and surgical conditions. We hold several clinics to treat children and young people aged from 0 to their 18th birthday with a variety of different conditions (such as diabetes, asthma, endocrine and allergy).
Children and young people who are referred to us will see someone from the multi-disciplinary team. Your appointment will usually be with a paediatric consultant, allied health professional or paediatric nurse specialist.
During your appointment, you may need additional tests such as a blood test, x-ray or skin prick (allergy test). These will be carried out by the nurses and healthcare assistants, although please be aware there may be a wait time depending on whether other clinics are running.
Opening hours
We are open Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm.
We are closed weekends and bank holidays.
Telephone appointments
Some appointments may be held over the telephone. This will be stated in your clinic letter.
We may be able to offer a telephone appointment if your child is unwell and unable to attend a face-to-face appointment. Please ring the department and we can see if the consultant is happy to do this. If they want to see you in person, the appointment will be re-arranged.
Clinic appointments
We advise that you come 15 minutes before your appointment time, so we have time to check you in and do your height and weight. We may also need to do additional observations such as blood pressure and urinalysis.
Please allow time for travel and parking.
If you are running late, please contact the department and we will inform the consultant. If you are more than 15 minutes late, you may not be seen.
If you need to re-arrange or cancel your appointment, please contact the number on your letter.
If you cannot attend and don’t inform us, it may result in you being marked as a ‘was not brought’ and being discharged back to your GP.
Blood tests
We offer a phlebotomy service for children under 14 years old. We may see children older than this if this is arranged by the paediatric consultant or if the GP has requested via special arrangement.
Our blood clinics are run daily every afternoon from 1.30pm to 5pm.
Each blood test appointment is 15 minutes, but we can offer a double appointment if you feel your child may need extra time i.e., if they have struggled before.
What will happen during your blood test?
- Your test will be done by a healthcare assistant
- Sometimes we have the Specialist Play Team to help
- We use a cold spray and distraction techniques
- We do not use numbing cream however if you prefer this for your child you will need to discuss this with the requesting clinician
- You will be rewarded with a sticker – you will get a star every time you come for a blood test.
How will I get my blood test results?
GP bloods: If your GP ordered the blood test, you will need to contact them directly.
Consultant bloods: If the blood test was requested by one of our consultants, they will write to you with the results. Clinic staff and secretaries cannot give results out over the telephone.
If your blood test was requested by a different department / service / hospital, you will need to contact them directly.
Locations and contact details
We are located at Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Children’s Centre
Damers Road
Dorchester
Dorset
Dt1 2LB
Contact us on: 01305 254739
Please note that our phones do not have answerphones, so if you have a query or want to book a blood test, please call within our opening hours.
We try to answer as soon as possible, but please understand that we may be busy with patients and may not be able to do so right away.
Feedback
We really appreciate receiving feedback from patients and their families to enable us to see how we are performing and look at how we can improve. If you would like to feedback about your hospital experience, please email patientexperience@dchft.nhs.uk Alternatively, we have a Paediatric Community and Outpatients Department Questionnaire.