Grampians Health Ballarat has a dedicated Paediatric and Adolescent Ward (Ward 2 South), where only children are admitted.
We also have a Paediatric Day Medical Unit, which is suitable when children are expected to be well enough to be discharged within 24 hours. This moves children out of the busy Emergency Department to a more child-friendly space.
A Special Care Nursery is available for newborns, who may be full-term or premature (as young as 32 weeks’ gestation).
What we do?
We provide 24-hour care for children and adolescents, by specifically-trained paediatric doctors, nurses and Allied Health staff. Our facilities have been carefully designed as child friendly spaces.
A large part of our work involves outpatient care in dedicated clinics. These appointments provide follow-up for children with complex medical conditions (often in conjunction with tertiary hospitals such as the Royal Children’s Hospital and Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne), but also for children with developmental difficulties such as ADHD and autism.
We also have specialised clinics for children with diabetes, feeding difficulties and continence issues, as well as a clinic for Children at Risk (in close liaison with the Child Protection Unit).
Our paediatric medical team also provides services through the Ballarat Community Health Centre, including developmental and behavioural clinics and an immigrant health service.
Wherever possible, parents are encouraged to stay with young children and to be involved in their care.
Who we care for?
The paediatric team at Grampians Health Ballarat provides inpatient and outpatient medical care to children and their families. Our patients range from newborn to young people, up to 18 years of age.
What to expect?
Both the Paediatric and Adolescent Ward, along with the Special Care Nursery are child and family-centred services.
Parents are encouraged to stay by the bedside and participate in the care of young children that are admitted. Parents of newborns admitted to the Special Care Nursery can visit at any time.
How to access this service?
Most children who require admission for an acute illness will first be assessed and treated in the Emergency Department.
A GP referral is required for the outpatient service and these will be triaged to offer appointments as timely as possible.
Referrals need to provide relevant background information, including previous assessment reports, school reports, etc.
Cotton on Children's Ward
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