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Children's neurosurgery

Our unit serves patients from across the South, covering around three million people. We also see patients from further afield. We have our own facility, G2 children's neurosurgery, on child health G level.

We are one of the few hospitals that can treat all patients from birth to old age on the same site.

Families are an important part of the team, and you are encouraged to be present as much as you wish during your child's stay. We try to make the stay on our ward as happy and stress free as possible.

What we do

We treat approximately 300 children a year, with conditions including

  • childhood brain and spinal tumours
  • hydrocephalus investigations and surgery
  • trauma
  • epilepsy
  • spinal dysraphism
  • neonatal surgery.

We also have an epilepsy surgery programme (including vagal nerve stimulators), and neuroendoscopy facility.

Our facilities

Our ward has five beds and a video telemetry suite, used to diagnose children with epilepsy and for children who may be eligible for epilepsy surgery. There is a further side room with ensuite facilities. All the beds have televisions, and we also have PlayStations.

Our ward is co-located with the paediatric intensive care unit and paediatric high dependency unit. This means we have an integrated pathway from our sickest patients right through to discharge.

We take children from birth to 18 years old. Young adults between 16 and 18 years old may also be managed in the adult neurosurgical unit in the Wessex Neurological Centre if appropriate.

Our consultants

What happens when I come in?

On the day of admission, report to G2 children’s neurosurgery. At the buzzer outside of the door, press the neuro button. Once inside, the ward is the second door on the right (signed Smile4Wessex Children’s Neurosciences Ward).

You can find the adult neurosurgery pages here.