Paediatric Assessment Unit (PAU)
This page tells you about the Paediatric Assessment Unit (PAU) at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. It explains about what to expect on arrival at the unit, how your child will be assessed and treated and what to expect after you have been seen by a practitioner.
On arrival
You and your child will be greeted at the reception desk and your address details checked. Your child will be assessed by a children’s nurse within 15 minutes of arrival.
Some children may need pain relief or inhalers. They may also need an oral fluid challenge (this will be explained on the unit) or have tests such as urine samples, which will be carried out during the assessment.
Nurse assessment
Once your child has been assessed, they will be given a priority colour for the waiting area.
The 3 colours: red, amber and green reflect how quickly your child will be seen by medical staff during busy periods.
- Red: Immediate. Seen immediately
- Amber: Urgent. Seen within 1 hour from assessment
- Green: Non-Urgent. Seen within 4 hours from assessment
Patients who are being admitted
If the decision has been made to admit your child to the ward, you are welcome to stay overnight with your child (either a bed or a reclining chair will be provided).
Meals and facilities
We have a parent’s room with tea and coffee facilities, a fridge and a microwave for heating food. We also provide breakfast cereals and bread for parents who have stayed overnight to make themselves breakfast.
This room is provided for parents, carers and visitors only – no children are allowed. Meals, drinks and snacks can be bought from Fosters restaurant, Costa coffee shop and vending machines behind the concourse. Please ask a member of staff for directions.
Patients who are being discharged
Continuing care
On discharge, some children are given continuing care. What this means and what period of time this is for will be made clear to you on discharge. Most children continue to get better after discharge. If your child has been given continuing care then you will be given a contact number to ring if you are worried or concerned about your child’s recovery.
Medication
If your child is discharged between 9:00am and 5:00pm you will be given a prescription for your child’s medication, to be collected from the hospital pharmacy. Outside of these hours medication will be dispensed from PAU or you will be given a prescription to collect from a pharmacy nearer to your home.
Follow up
If your child needs a follow-up appointment in clinic or further tests; this will be booked before your child is discharged or an appointment will be sent in the post if the appointment is more than 1 week away.
Contact information
You can contact the Paediatric Assessment Unit (PAU) on:
Tel: 0300 422 8194 (24 hours)
We hope that your child’s visit to the PAU has been stress-free and welcome your comments or feedback. Please speak to a member of staff if you have any concerns.