Children's Oncology (Cancer) Service

Children suspected of having cancer need a variety of health professionals to diagnose and treat their conditions. They come from the:

Principal Treatment Centre (PTC)
Your child will be transferred to a PTC, either Great Ormond Street Hospital or University College London, to confirm diagnosis and begin treatment. The PTC you go to will depend on your child’s age, type of cancer or bed availability. Very occasionally you may be transferred to a PTC outside of London if there are no beds available.
Paediatric Oncology Shared Care Unit (POSCU)
Your POSCU is made up of the team who will care for your child closer to home. It is run by a multidisciplinary team who are experienced in caring for children with cancer. They will co-ordinate your local care and are available to support the wider paediatric team in caring for your child should they be admitted.
Children’s Community
Nursing Team (CCN)
The CCN’s obtain blood samples at home, school or nursery and can provide care and support for you and your child at home.
  • Hillingdon – 01895 488480
  • Ealing – 020 8967 5694
  • Heart of Hounslow – 020 3903 3660/3650

POSCU Team

Our multidisciplinary POSCU team meet monthly to discuss all patients, ensuring all team members are updated on their progress. There is also frequent communication between the team and the PTC about the care of your child.

  • Dr Richa Ajitsaria, Lead Paediatrician for Oncology (cancer) - Tel: 01895 279263

  • Dr Alex Chan, Deputy Lead Paediatrician for Oncology (cancer)

  • Dr Ajitsaria or Dr Chan will usually see your child in clinic or if they are admitted to the ward.

  • Dr Mamta Sohal, Consultant Haematologist

  • Dr Sohal is based at Hammersmith Hospital and does outreach work at Hillingdon Hospital for children with sickle cell anaemia, thalassaemia and other blood disorders.

  • Jo Davison, Specialist Nurse for Paediatric Oncology - Tel: 01895 238282 extension 2745, bleep 5286 (8am-4pm, Monday-Friday), mob: 07795 656433.

  • Katie Terry, Deputy Specialist Nurse for Paediatric Oncology - Tel: 01895 238282 extension 2745, bleep 5286 (8am-4pm, Monday-Friday).

  • If Jo or Katie are not in the office, leave a message and one of them will get back to you as soon as possible. Their role is to provide you and your family with expert clinical care, support and advice from the point of diagnosis, throughout your child’s treatment path and beyond. They will be your main point of contact.

Key Worker

All of our patients are allocated a key worker, either Jo Davison or Katie Terry. It is their role to ensure care is co-ordinated around your child's needs and that you have access to services to support your child through their treatment. They are an invaluable source of information and support if you have questions or need advice. See above for their contact details.

If you can't get in contact and your query is urgent, telephone main switchboard (01895 238282) and ask for the Paediatric (children’s) Registrar on call or call the ward directly on 01895 279529.

How can you help us care for your child?

  • Always bring your shared care oncology parent-held record to hospital with you
  • Always identify yourself to staff as a ‘shared care oncology parent’ when talking on the phone and give details of your child
  • If your child is admitted to hospital, always bring all of their medication with you.

Blood results and your queries

Your child's blood test results are reviewed and discussed by both the PTC and your POSCU team in case any action needs to be taken (e.g. changes in your child’s medication or transfusions). Your key worker or another member of the team will discuss any changes to your child’s care with you.

Occasionally these results are not available until after working hours, and in this case the on-call registrar will telephone you with appropriate advice according to the result. If you have any other queries, please do not hesitate to speak to any member of your POSCU team during office hours.

Other contacts

Fleming Ward: 01895 279529 or 279532. This is the in-patient ward. If your child stays overnight in hospital, they will be on Fleming Ward.

Elaine Duckmanton (Sister) is oncology trained and able to administer chemotherapy. Sarah Jones is the ward oncology link nurse and will liaise closely with the oncology team throughout your child’s admission.

For URGENT queries after 5pm: Call Fleming Ward or the Paediatric Registrar on call, via the hospital switchboard (01895 238282). Identify yourself as a parent of an oncology child.

Peter Pan Wing: 01895 279245.

This is the daycare unit. Josanne Hampton (Sister)is able to administer chemotherapy. If your child requires day case chemotherapy, it will be given either on the wing or in Outpatients.

Children's Outpatients: 01895 279245.

Oncology clinic is held every Monday from 9.30am-12.30pm.

Children's Unit: Chris Mann, Matron and Nursing Services Manager. Although she may not be directly involved in your child’s care, she is the senior nurse on the Children’s Unit and is always available if you wish to discuss your child’s nursing care.

Caitriona Delaney, MDT Coordinator, provides secretarial and administrative support to the Hillingdon Children’s Haematology/Oncology team.

Hina Mehta, Lead Cancer Pharmacist.