New Snow Fox ward provides a bright and colourful space for planned care

Sean Docherty, 16, receiving treatment in our new Snow Fox ward.

Evelina London has opened a new ward specially designed for children and young people who need planned care. 

Snow Fox ward means we can see more children and young people for planned non-emergency care, such as minor surgical procedures, diagnostic tests and scans.

Sean Docherty, 16, from Broadstairs in Kent, has been treated at Evelina London for Crohn’s disease for more than two years.

Sean, an A-level student, said: “I’m really fond of the new ward. It’s bright, airy and feels very calm and relaxing."

The ward has 19 treatment rooms and a parents’ lounge with facilities to heat food and make warm drinks, so that families do not need to get refreshments elsewhere in the hospital. It also includes new reclining chairs and a blood transfusion machine the unit’s sickle cell patients have named after the rapper Stormzy. 

Brightly coloured artwork decorates the ceiling and walls including illustrated word games and puzzles. This gives children who need treatment requiring them to sit or lie for long periods of time something stimulating to look at.

Sean said: “I especially like the new reclining chairs. They’re very comfortable and are easy to operate. The artwork is lovely too. It helps you to forget that you’re in a hospital and takes your mind off the treatment."

 “I really enjoy coming to Evelina London. All of the doctors and nurses are amazing and I have been inspired by them to pursue a career in children’s nursing. The new ward has made visiting the hospital extra special.”

Debbie Komaromy, head of nursing, said: “Snow Fox is much bigger than the area where children needing planned care treatments used to be seen, which means we are able to care for more of these patients than ever before.

“This also means that this group of children are waiting less time to be treated, and it has eased pressure on other wards, allowing more young patients who are seriously ill to be cared for at our hospital.

“We know that coming to hospital can be a worrying time for children and their families, so it was very important to us that the space was designed specifically with the needs of young patients in mind.

“We asked patients and staff for their input about what they would like to see in the new ward and we worked very closely with art specialists, Art in Site, to develop artwork that would be fun and engaging, and help our patients feel at ease. We have received lots of positive feedback from patients and staff about Snow Fox.”

The ward has already received some very special guests, find out more about when Idris Elba and Rita Ora dropped in to meet patients and families.

Snow Fox was supported by Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity, which provides funding for projects across Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, including Evelina London.

Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity raises money for big things and small touches that make our life-saving care even better and help our patients and their families feel really looked after. For more information on fundraising for Evelina London visit the Support Evelina website.

Our new ward is part of a wider project to expand the hospital. Our current hospital building was opened in 2005, and since then, the number of children and young people we care for has more than doubled. Find out more about the ways Evelina London is growing.