Private children and young people's cancer service for patients 12 and under

Our children and young people’s cancer service outpatient service is on the 3rd floor of the University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre on Huntley Street, London, WC1E 6AG.

Depending on your child’s needs, they may be able to have some or all of their treatment in the day care unit located in the main hospital, on ward T11 North, which is located at 235 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BU. This is a dedicated treatment area for under 13s, where they can be treated without having to stay in hospital overnight.

There is a playroom and sensory room, which is available at agreed times.

Some outpatient activity occurs at other hospitals within the University College Hospital campus, including the Grafton Way Building,The Hatter Institute and The Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals. 

The Grafton Way Building 1 Grafton Way, London WC1E 6AS

The Hatter Institute  67 Chenies Mews, London WC1E 6HX

The Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals 47-49 Huntley St, London WC1E 6DG

Please bring any medication your child is taking or provide a list of medications from their doctor. If your child has been told not to eat or drink before admission (“nil-by-mouth”), or they have been told to make specific preparations, you will have been given these instructions by their consultant.

Private vehicles can drop off and collect passengers from Beaumont Place at the rear of University College Hospital. There is no parking on site.

If you are driving or being driven to UCLH, please be aware that most of our hospitals are within the congestion charge and the ultra-low emissions zones, and there may be a charge. Find out more on the Transport for London (TFL) website:

-Congestion charge (www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge)

-Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). (www.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone)

You can also travel by bus or by London Underground (The Tube). You can pay using a Transport for London “Oyster card" - a contactless payment card, or via a smartwatch. You are no longer able to use cash to pay for your bus fare. The nearest tube stations are

Warren Street (Northern / Victoria Lines)

Euston Square (Circle / Hammersmith & City / Metropolitan Lines)

If your child is being cared for as an inpatient, they will stay on ward T11 North in University College Hospital. 

University College Hospital is at 235 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BU. Private vehicles can drop off and collect from Beaumont Place at the rear of the hospital. 

Your child will be allocated a bed in one of the NHS bays in the children and young people’s ward.

Please be advised that for safety reasons patients are allocated one of a limited number of single en suite rooms based on their clinical need. This includes both NHS and private patients admitted to the ward. For this reason, we are unable to guarantee that your child will be allocated a single room with an en suite bathroom. This does not change their care provision, and you can be assured that they will receive the high standard of clinical care you should expect from the NHS, accessed through the private healthcare team.

If you want to arrange for someone else to visit during your child’s stay, please tell your advocate, and they can arrange this with the ward team. 

Your child will be cared for by a team of healthcare professionals who specialise in helping young people through their cancer treatment. You will hear us call this team the multidisciplinary team (MDT), because it includes experts in different areas of medicine, such as doctors, nurses, and therapists.

Your first point of contact will be your nominated advocate and key worker, who will support you all throughout your child’s treatment. The key worker is usually a clinical nurse specialist (CNS) who is trained and experienced in treating young people with your child’s type of cancer. Your child's key worker will also coordinate their care and support them and the rest of your family through treatment. Other professionals your child may meet include:

Advanced nurse practitioners  

Advanced nurse practitioners are specialist cancer nurses who will work alongside the medical team and may examine, assess, treat your child, prescribe medication, and make referrals for them.

Youth support coordinators  

Youth support coordinators are there to support your child and make being in hospital as positive an experience as possible. They provide an informal and relaxed atmosphere through activities and groups. They also make sure there are plenty of chances to socialise and stay connected with other people of the same age. They are trained to give practical help and emotional support about specific issues for your child, their family, and their friends, as well as preparing and supporting them through procedures and tests that they may come across.

Play specialists

Play specialists provide therapeutic, diagnostic, developmental, and specialised play interventions to help support children and young people. Play and recreation are an essential part of childhood and adolescence and essential for children’s and young people’s mental, social, and emotional growth and well-being. The play specialist assists with play throughout the various hospital settings and clinics. 

Psych-oncology team  

Cancer can affect many aspects of your child’s life, including their emotional and psychological well-being. It is completely normal to experience a wide range of feelings. Our psych-oncology team is here to support your child and your entire family and help you all make sense of what has happened.

Physiotherapists  

Our physiotherapists assess and treat a wide range of physical problems your child may experience from their illness or treatment. They will help them to maintain their independence and return to their usual physical activities as soon as possible.

Dietitians  

If your child is finding it difficult to eat or drink during or after treatment, our dietitians are here to offer support and advice. They can also provide information on all aspects of nutrition and help to make sure your child’s diet is right for them before, during, and after treatment.

Occupational therapists  

Our occupational therapists can help your child to stay independent and continue with their day-to-day activities as much as possible during and after treatment. They can also help them to get back to their daily activities or education and advise on fatigue, relaxation, and specialised rehabilitation.

Nursing

The children and young peoples’ inpatient unit and day care unit is led by our ward sisters and matron Eleanor Tyrrell (pictured). 

Eleanor’s role focuses on patient-centred care, making sure the care that your child receives is both high quality and safe. Eleanor is available to support you and your child during your admission with any questions or queries you may have.

Our consultants

We have a dedicated team on hand 24 hours a day led by a team of expert consultants, many of whom are regarded as international leaders in their field.

Together they form a multidisciplinary team (MDT), including clinical nurse specialists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and dietitians, who meet regularly to review each patient’s care plan. The different experts work together to find the best outcome for your child's own individual circumstances.

Your child will have a named consultant who oversees their care and any recommendations for treatment.

We understand that travelling abroad for medical treatment can be daunting, so making our hospitals feel a little more like home can make a real difference.

If you or your child are looking for some spiritual support, our multi-faith chaplaincy team can visit you on a one-to-one basis. We also have a multi-faith room on each site.

We can also provide interpreting services on request if English is not your first language. We know the reassurance a familiar face can bring when you are in hospital, and we have dedicated advocates to help make the process as simple as possible.

Our advocate team is available to help with the specific needs of our Middle Eastern patients seeking treatment in the UK as well as the wider needs of any family members travelling with your child. We also liaise on your behalf with your sponsoring health office or embassy. From initial enquiry through to first consultations and follow-up care plans, a member of our team will accompany you to your appointments and be on hand to help translate and answer any questions.

They are available to discuss any areas of concern or dissatisfaction and take appropriate action to resolve this. Our advocates assist families with all medical reports and scans after completing treatment and are available to support you and your family either on the phone or face-to-face throughout your stay with us. An advocate will accompany you to appointments and be on hand to help interpret and answer any questions related to appointments, treatment sessions, and follow-up care and help you understand your child’s diagnosis and treatment.

Our advocates can be contacted directly between 8am and 5pm. Out of hours, you can contact our on-call advocacy service.

Our international patient service also includes:

• An administration team to liaise with embassies, health offices and insurance companies, keeping them up-to-date with your treatment plans and progress
• Advice and support with payments and billing enquiries
• Advice around places to stay and visit in London.

Arabic advocate - Venus Ridha

Venus has worked as an Arabic interpreter in various major hospitals across London for 15 years.

Venus graduated from the department of translation at Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad. She has been an Arabic interpreter in a variety of London hospitals since 2007 and joined UCLH Private Healthcare in February 2022.

Arabic advocate – Sana Majid

Sana Majid has worked as an advocate within healthcare for over 20 years and developed long standing relationships with many Middle Eastern patients.

Sana has excellent communication skills and is highly regarded by both patients and the healthcare teams she works with.

We offer a complimentary breakfast, lunch, and dinner for your child and one carer throughout their stay. You will both be able to choose from a wide range of specialist catering options, including vegan, vegetarian, halal, and kosher meals.

The catering team will offer a dedicated menu, which you can choose from daily. This is prepared by our catering team and delivered to your room/bay by our dedicated catering staff. There is also a small kitchen available on the ward that has a supply of tea, sugar, coffee, bread, milk, and a hot water dispenser, which is available to all patients and their families during your stay with us.

Your child is welcome to have visitors on the ward between 8am and 7pm, although we would recommend that they avoid having guests at mealtimes.

Patients can have one visitor, in addition to their nominated parent or carer staying with them on the ward. Please discuss with your nurse if you would like other children to visit your child. 

For security purposes, all visitors should initially report to the reception before coming to see your child. Occasionally, a member of the senior clinical team might restrict visitors if it is in your child’s best interests. All visitor guidance is subject to the most recent advice relating to COVID-19, which can change at short notice, so please check the latest visitor policy with our team before your guests visit you. 

Please be aware that smoking is not allowed in the hospital and on the grounds. This policy relates to staff, patients, and visitors.

Infection can spread easily in hospitals. Please can you, your child, and your visitors help us:

- Regularly wash your hands and use hand sanitiser to keep hands clean

- Do not come to the hospital if you are suffering from colds, flu, or stomach bugs

- Visitors should wait 48 hours before visiting if they have had vomiting or diarrhoea.

- Adhere to any other infection control guidance issued by the hospital (e.g., mask wearing) if it is in place

If you have symptoms of a virus or a stomach bug just prior to admission, please call us in advance so that we can discuss the next steps with you.

We have a hospital pharmacy on site. Any prescriptions will be issued by your consultant and can be collected from there.

In almost all cases following an admission, a discharge date from hospital will be assessed by your child’s clinical team. If there is any clinical reason to change this, your consultant and clinical team will agree to the new discharge date and time with you. Please be aware that there will be additional charges for an extended stay. If your child needs medication to take home, it will be prescribed for them and can be collected from the on-site pharmacy.

We recommend that you arrange for a family member or friend to collect your child from the hospital. If you need to book a private vehicle, please speak to your advocate, who will be able to arrange this for you.