Dumfries and Galloway Combined Child Health Services

The paediatric department provides general paediatric services for the children of Dumfries and Galloway This service is based at a number of sites. The service provides:

• Assessment and management of acutely unwell children: inpatient treatment is provided on ward 15 (Children’s ward) at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary, if necessary, or interval review of children referred by their GP or presenting to the emergency department
• A neonatal unit in the Cresswell Wing of Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary: high dependency care, short term intensive care and special care is provided to premature and sick infants less than 28 days old, infants less than 30 weeks gestation or requiring ventilation are mostly transferred for tertiary care until their condition improves
• Outpatient services for children requiring secondary level paediatric care. These are often direct referrals from local general practitioners. Outpatient clinics run throughout the region at the infirmary in Dumfries, Nithbank, Annan, Castle Douglas, Kelloholm, Newton Stewart, Sanquhar and Stranraer
• Community paediatrics is based at Nithbank and provides a centre for neurodevelopment, looked after children, child protection, speech and language therapy, physiotherapy and occupational therapy.

The types of conditions managed include asthma, cystic fibrosis, developmental problems, diabetes, endocrine problems, epilepsy, inflammatory bowel disease, infections, neurological problems, skin conditions, urinary problems and follow up of pre-term infants. We link with tertiary centres based at Yorkhill Children’s Hospital in Glasgow as well as Edinburgh Sick Children’s Hospital