Children's Assessment Unit (Hippos)

Our service identifies how best to treat children who have arrived at A&E or Children's Outpatients and need further observation. 

We play a vital part in ensuring that children are seen and treated at the right time, in the right place and by the right teams. 

Our team help prevent sick children from being unnecessarily admitted to hospital, and after assessment our team will make a decision about whether to admit a child, transfer them to another hospital, send them home or book them in for further tests.

The unit allows children to be kept under observation and for investigations to be carried out to better assess their needs and avoid an overnight admission into hospital wherever possible. 

 

Location

Ground floor, opposite Ward 4 and next to Safari Ward, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich

"Follow the Hippos!"

You can find the Children's Assessment Unit by turning right once you're through the entrance to the Children's Unit and Macmillan Brook Unit, then turn next right to end of corridor to the last ward on the right. The nearest parking is at Car Park 1

 

Contact

Tel: 020 8836 5416 or 020 8836 5391

 

Our availability

Our unit is open 7 days a week from 8am until midnight. Last admissions are at 8pm.

We see children who are sent to us from A&E or Children's Outpatients.

 

How to get a referral

Children and young people are admitted to our unit from the following pathways: 

  • GP referrals: including the Urgent Care Centre, Children’s Emergency Department (ED), midwives, health visitors, the Community Children’s Nursing Team (Oxleas) or planned reviews.

  • Planned reviews and procedures: we provide follow up appointments for children who have been seen in ED or discharged from Safari or Hippo who need to be reviewed by a consultant before they can be discharged to the care of their GP. During these planned appointments we may carry out blood tests, intravenous or intramuscular medication or imaging if needed. We also provide follow-up appointments for surgical, urology and dermatology patients who will often require repeat blood tests and ultrasounds.