Young people’s clinics
Information for young people and their families about transition from children’s to adult services
What is transition?
As a child your parents or carers will have made most of the decisions about your health. When you become a young adult you will need to be able to take on this responsibility for yourself. The process of us helping you to start to do this is called transition. Transition is another word for change and moving on. As you become an adult there will be many changes in your life. For you, one of the changes is that you will be joining the adult services here at Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
When will I start the process?
The suggested age for the transition process is between 15 – 19 years old. This process will start while you are seeing the doctors at the children’s hospital. This will depend on you and how ready you are to start the process.
Aims of the transition clinic
To support you moving from a child centred hospital to adult centred care, we run a clinic for young people, where both adult and paediatric doctors and nurses are present. We aim to provide age appropriate care, emotional, psychological and social support to young people aged 15 – 19 years. We hope to support you to make decisions about your own treatment, help you to understand more about HIV and ultimately take on responsibility for your own health.
Where is the transition clinic?
The clinic will be held within the Stonegrove Centre. The number to call for enquiries is 0114 2265877.
What might the transition team do to help me settle in to the clinic?
The move from the children’s services to adult services is a very important time for you and your family. The transition team is here to make this change go as well as possible for you and the people that look after you.
The transition team will try to help and support you in many different ways. These may include:
- A tour of the outpatient clinic at a convenient time to you. This will give you an opportunity to ask any questions before your appointment.
- A named member of the transition team to welcome you, and to help you settle into adult services. They will keep working with you to help you to settle in, for as long as you feel you need their help.
How long will my appointment last?
Your first appointment at the clinic will usually last approximately 1 ½ hours. When you come back to the clinic again, future appointments are usually shorter. We ask you to arrive for your appointment in good time to avoid delays. However, delays in clinic can occur because some patients need extra support, and clinics can get very busy. If you have been kept waiting for more than 30 minutes for your appointment then please speak to the nurse in charge of the clinic and bring it to their attention
Who will I see in clinic?
Children’s doctor
Adult service doctor
Children’s nurse
Adult service nurse
Psychologist
Clinic nurses / phlebotomists
Reception staff
What happens when I come to the clinic?
Report to reception to let them know you have arrived. You will be asked to take a seat.
A nurse will call you to go and have your height, weight and blood pressure checked. You will also be asked whether you can provide a urine sample to be checked. This is a good time to let the nurse know if you have a particular problem or to ask any questions you might have about clinic.
What happens next?
Transition clinic gives you the opportunity to see the doctors alone without your parents. Your parents can come in after you have seen the doctor to be updated.
The children’s doctor will call you to come into a clinic room. You will meet one of the transition / adult service doctors who you will get to meet at every clinic visit. The doctors will ask you some questions about yourself and your illness, arrange a physical examination if you need one, and send you to see the specialist nurses.
The children’s specialist nurse will introduce you to the adult / transition service specialist nurse who will become your keyworker. This nurse will support you during the transition period and will be your point of contact should you or your parents / carers have any questions about clinic or your care.
This specialist nurse will then arrange for you to have your blood taken. This will be done by the children’s nurse if you are under 16 and by the clinic nurses if you are 16 or over.
What happens when I am finally ready to be seen in the adult clinic?
The time spent attending transition clinic varies from person to person, but when you and the transition team feel you are ready to move to adult services it will be arranged.
The adult service that you attend after transition is very much up to you. You may want to remain in Sheffield, or choose a clinic nearer to where you live.
Can my parents still come with me to clinic?
Yes. Your parents can still attend appointments with you, should you want them to. The clinic staff would be more than happy to have them there to support you until you are ready to be seen on your own. However, we do encourage you to see the doctors alone, for at least part of your visit.
Who can I talk to about this if I have any more questions?
You can talk to your doctor or nurse at the children’s hospital clinic who will be able to help you. Or, you may want to speak to your designated nurse or doctor in the adult services to ask more questions about what to expect when you are there.
Useful contacts
Sheffield Children’s hospital: 0114 2717000
E3 outpatient clinic: 0114 2713560
Appointments
Anna Ford (Specialist Nurse): 0114 7217223
Simone Naylor (Specialist Nurse): 0114 2711882