How we have grown so far

Walrus gives us more space for our children’s heart clinics.

Our heart clinics remain on the 1st floor of Evelina London with more dedicated space for appointments, tests and treatments.

Our planned care ward, Snow Fox, has given us a bigger, more efficient space with 19 treatment areas to care for our day patients.

Snow Fox is located on 1st floor, South Wing in St Thomas’ Hospital.

Our purpose-built unit has been sensitively designed for the comfort of expectant parents and provides specialist fetal heart scans for around 2,000 mothers every year.

Fetal cardiology is the study of a baby's heart in the womb. Located close to maternity services in St Thomas’ Hospital, families can benefit from our  state-of-the-art facilities, including a review room where doctors can observe scans to diagnose any problems there and then, which cuts down waiting times. 

The unit is home to an ultrasound scanner to diagnose fetal heart abnormalities. Using specialist technology, the equipment provides more detailed scans which can be done at an earlier stage in pregnancy.

The blood test centre has been purpose-built with increased private space and improved wheelchair access. Since opening, the team have been able to cut waiting times by more than half.

More than 22,000 children and young people who need a blood test as an outpatient each year now benefit from our reduced waiting times.

Blood test (phlebotomy) services are provided by Viapath and the centre is located next to the adult blood test centre in St Thomas’ Hospital.

More space for our kidney and rheumatology services means we can see around 2,000 children and young people for clinic appointments each year.

The unit has 12 new clinic rooms, a treatment room, a private family space and a dedicated physiotherapy gym for rheumatology patients.

The Penguin outpatients unit is located on the 3rd floor, South Wing of St Thomas' Hospital.

We have one of the largest Neonatal Units in England, caring for 1,000 babies a year.

Located next to the Maternity Unit in St Thomas' Hospital, we can care for mum's and babies before, during and after birth. We provide specialist care for babies with complex problems including conditions affecting the heart and brain. Expanding and improving the unit means we now have 22 intensive care cots and 12 high dependency cots. This was a 50% increase in critical care cots.

Snow Leopard ward is located in St Thomas' Hospital and has six beds for children who rely on specialist equipment to help them breathe.

Snow Leopard helps to ease the move from hospital to home by providing a 'home from home' environment. The specialist team on Snow Leopard help to train parents and carers how to use ventilation equipment safely to prepare them for when their child is home. It has more space, is quieter and offers more privacy to patients and families. The ward has a playroom and a therapy room.

Before Snow Leopard opened, these patients stayed on general wards for very sick children. The unit has freed up beds on these wards so more children can be treated.

Growing Snow Leopard

In 2019, we opened an extended ward to make space for two beds for neurorehabilitation and three beds for sleep studies to treat even more young people with a range of complex conditions.

Our Procedure Room means we can treat an extra 100 children each month with procedures like investigations or minor surgery.

Having this room not only gives us more space but means we have released other theatres for more complicated planned operations and emergencies.

We have transformed the 6th floor of Evelina London from offices to become Sky ward.

Sky cardiology has 18 beds for our heart patients and Sky Paediatric Critical Care Unit (PCCU) is open to 6 beds. 

Two improved spaces for clinical research have been specially designed to provide a family friendly environment.

A space in St Thomas’ Hospital now supports allergy research and improved facilities within Evelina London support all other research.

We have a full children’s imaging service within Evelina London Children’s Hospital thanks to investment and expansion of our facilities. The department provides 24/7 full comprehensive paediatric diagnostic imaging including x-rays, ultrasound, fluoroscopy, CT and MRI to hospital services and local communities, with further support to the south London network. 

In 2020/21, we built a brand-new interventional imaging area (South Pole) with state-of-the-art equipment including a new 1.5T MRI scanner with direct access to the intervention suit (X-MR) for hybrid procedures, a procedure/anaesthetic room and 3 recovery beds. There is a second MRI area (North Pole) with a recently installed 3T scanner and procedure/anaesthetic room.  

Both MRI areas are in child-friendly facilities that have been designed to maintain the privacy and dignity of our patients. A full-time play specialist prepares and supports children and their families before and during more complex scans helping to reduce the need for general anaesthesia in most of our cases. We have the first UK ''Rocket MRI simulator'' where children can experience how their scan will be, and become able to overcome any nerves or anxiety, meaning they are less likely to need an anaesthetic.

In July 2023, Evelina London welcomed the first patients to the Children’s Day Surgery Unit. 

The state-of-the-art facility, designed especially for those who don't need to stay overnight, is housed in the new Children's Day Treatment Centre next to Evelina London Children’s Hospital.

With two new operating theatres, the unit will help Evelina London treat up to an additional 2,300 children each year.