Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh

This is one of the UK’s specialist children’s cancer and leukaemia treatment centres.

Royal Hospital for Sick Children
8 Sciennes Road
Edinburgh
EH9 1LU

Telephone: 0131 536 0000
Website: www.nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk/hospitals/rhsc
Map: to view the hospital on a map click here (this takes you to the Multimap site).
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The RHSC provides a number of facilities for both patients and visitors. These include a WRVS café which provides a variety of snacks and beverages. The hospital shop is located in the main reception. From here you can purchase items such as newspapers, magazines, gifts and toiletries. The hospital also has a canteen which sells a variety of hot and cold food and beverage items. The family support department have a desk in the main foyer and can provide much useful information for families.  There is a day nursery attached to the hospital.

Within a 10 – 15 minute walk of the hospital you will find local shops, cafes, post offices, cash-point machines, banks and parks with playgrounds.

Edinburgh Castle, Royal Mile is also very nearby.  For more information contact 0845 225 5121

Train: Edinburgh’s main railway station is located at Waverley Bridge (0871 200 3456), approximately 1 mile  from the hospital, in the city centre. The best bus route to take is the number 41. This leaves from ‘The Mound’ which is close to the station and goes directly to the hospital. The service runs approximately every 15 minutes.

Bus: Various buses leave from the city centre and pass near the hospital. Exact times and updates can be acquired from the helpline on 0131 555 6363.

Parking on site: Parking is very limited. There are a few free spaces at the back of the hospital on Rillbank Terrace.
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General: Ward 2  – Paediatric Oncology

Direct Telephone: 0131 536 0712 or 0131 536 0702

No. of Beds: 8 beds, 4 day beds and 5 cubicles

Age Range: 0-18, this is flexible and is considered on a case-by-case basis.

If the patient has a brain tumour they maybe cared for on Ward 7 - the ward specialising in Neurology.

Play: There is a playroom with soft play area at the entrance to the ward.  A play specialist is available for patients. Facilities such as games, painting and crafts a Playstation, Xbox, TV with Freeview, computer and portable DVD player are available  on an age appropriate basis.  There is a quiet hour between 2pm and 3pm.

Learning: Readily available is a hospital teaching service which has two primary and two secondary school teachers. This teaching service is available to the whole hospital. The teachers are able to offer tuition both on the ward and possibly at home, and to liaise with patients’ schools.

Other Facilities: Parents are able to use a parents’ room to relax and have refreshments.

Meal Times: These are all at set times. Breakfast is at 8am, lunch at 12noon and dinner at 5pm.

Rounds: Ward rounds are in the morning.

Visiting Times: Visiting is open; however visitors are encouraged to leave around 8pm.
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One parent may sleep next to the patient’s bed.  There is also the CLIC Sargent Home from Home – CLIC Villa - which is across the road from the hospital, approximately a two minute walk.  The house has nine bedrooms and offers free accommodation to families when their child is an inpatient or on pass from the ward.

If the CLIC home is full, there is also PJ’s Loft located on the hospital grounds. There are limited rooms available, but the facility houses a kitchen, showers, washing & drying machines and a lounge area. Accommodation here can be arranged via Family Support.

RHSC has a drop-in centre which operates Monday to Friday, offering free complementary services such as massage, aromatherapy, reflexology and the opportunity to talk to a member of staff.  There is also internet access for those aged 12+.

Maggies Cancer Caring Centre, Western General Hospital, Crewe Rd, Edinburgh (Tel: 0131 537 3131) has a wide range of information available.

CCLasp: The parent’s group Children with Cancer and Leukaemia offers advice and support for families.  There may also be transport available.

1 Administrator 
2 Social Workers
2 Nurses
1 Play Specialist top of page