Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham

This is one of the UK’s regional teenage/young people’s cancer centres. The cancer centre at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital forms the heart of a comprehensive network of cancer services in the West Midlands.

Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Queen Elizabeth Medical Centre
Birmingham
B15 2TH

Telephone: 0121 472 1311
Website: www.uhb.nhs.uk/
Map: to view the hospital on a map click here (this takes you to the Multimap site). top of page

There is a restaurant and a coffee shop in the hospital, as well as a chaplaincy. 

In the nearby area there is a McDonalds, Boots, Iceland and Safeway on Harborne High Street, about a 20 minute walk away. Most major banks can also be found here, as can a Post Office. Two cinemas are located nearby at Broadway Plaza 12 (1.4 miles) and the Odeon, New Street (2.4 miles). 

Train: The cancer centre is 5 minutes walk from the University station, which is on the Redditch-New Street-Litchfield line. There is a free shuttle bus which continuously circles the hospital campus from 7am-7pm. 

Bus: For information on up-to-date routes and timetables call Travel West Midlands on 0870 608 2608. 

Parking on Site: Parking in the visitors’ car park is charged at hourly rates. Weekly and daily concessions are available for £14 or £5 respectively.

Hospital Transport: This is available to people not well enough to travel by their own means. For more information and to find out if you are eligible, call 0121 627 2098. 

General: Young Person Unit.

Extension: 8590

No. of Beds: 8 bedded unit with 2 single side rooms.   

Age Range: 16 - 25. This is a set age limit for patients.

Additional Info: Specific unit for adolescents, dealing with specific issues within young adults. 

Play: There is a noisy room that contains a TV, Playstation 2, hi-fi system and many board games. A chill-out room also exists, containing 2 computers with internet access, comfy sofas, cable TV, video and DVD player. 

Learning: Educational support and guidance for young people on the unit is provided by a teacher from the James Brindley School. The aim is to ensure continuity of educational development whilst undergoing treatment. This can take the form of one-to-one tuition, liaison with the child’s school/college, use of teaching resources, careers advice, home teaching and help to reschedule exams and studies. 

‘Snack Attack’ is a kitchen unit which has a fridge freezer, microwave and plenty of crockery equipment to prepare snacks, meals and drinks throughout the day. As well as the general hospital menu the unit has its own ‘teenage menu’ to choose from. Patients are encouraged to cook their own meals.

The kitchen has been refurbished and there is a new day room and activities room.

There is a new chill out room off the main ward with music and lighting.  The ward staff have the key.

Meal Times: These are very flexible due to the availability of the ward kitchen. Breakfast times are especially flexible.

Rounds: There are no set rounds; however the patients will be seen everyday at some point by the doctors. 

Visiting: This is completely open, although consideration for other patients and relatives is required.

Parents and siblings (over 16) can stay overnight in the ‘folk’s room’ or on a camp bed. The room comes complete with sofa-bed, en-suite bathroom, tea and coffee making facilities and TV and stereo.  This room is ideal for friends and relatives. One parent is also able to sleep next to their child’s bed.

There is access to beds for parents in Nuffield House, although there is a fee for this. This can be arranged through the ward staff.

On a monthly basis there is a Young Person’s Unit meeting, which includes family members, staff and patients. Please note that as this is an 8 bedded unit the turnout numbers are not large. 

There are other informal support groups – please ask a member of ward staff for details.

The Teenage Cancer Trust (TCT) sponsors the unit and organises a big outing once a year.

1 Youth Social Worker