Great Ormond Street Hospital
Great Ormond Street, London, WC1N 3JH
Great Ormond Street Hospital receives 237,908 outpatient visits and 43,218 inpatient visits every year (figures from 2018/19). Most of the children we care for are referred from other hospitals throughout the UK and overseas. There are 63 different clinical specialties at GOSH; the UK's widest range of specialist health services for children on one site. More than half of our patients are referred to us from outside London and a small proportion come from overseas.
GOSH is the largest paediatric centre in the UK for:
Jersey General Hospital switchboard
Jersey Travel Office
Open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm. Saturday 9am-1pm.
(If travel support is needed out of office hours, please call the Jersey Travel Office number and you will be redirected for assistance.)
Great Ormond Street Hospital switchboard
Accomodation
The best option for staying close to the hospital
The Imperial London Hotels are in the heart of Bloomsbury in Central London. Ideally located between the City, the Law Courts and West End, the hotels are also a short walk from the British Museum, Covent Garden, Oxford Street and University College London.
Three of the Imperial Hotels are within walking distance of GOSH.
The Imperial
61-66 Russell Square,
London WC1B 5BB
Phone: +44 (0)20 7837 3655
Email: info@imperialhotels.co.uk
The Bedford
83-95 Southampton Row,
London WC1B 4HD
Phone: +44 (0)20 7636 7822
Email: info@imperialhotels.co.uk
The President
56-60 Guilford Street,
London WC1N 1DB
Phone: +44 (0)20 7837 8844
Email: info@imperialhotels.co.uk
Bus
London Buses stop near all the hotels. Airport transfers are available from the front of each hotel organised through the porters (payable locally).
Underground
Russell Square station on the Piccadilly Line is close to all the hotels and stops at Heathrow Airport, Covent Garden, Leicester Square, and Knightsbridge (Harrods).
Train
King's Cross, Euston and St. Pancras Stations are a short walk from the hotels.
Car
There is underground (pay) parking at the Imperial, Royal National, President and Bedford Hotels.
Patient accommodation in the Patient Hotel in Weston House – this provides accommodation for a child and their parents/carers before their admission to GOSH for an inpatient stay, daycase procedure or after their discharge. Priority is given to families who live outside of London. Accommodation is also provided in our ‘care by parent’ flats for children who require ongoing treatment but do not need to stay on a ward, for example, dialysis and transplant patients.
Family accommodation in various locations in and near the hospital.
GOSH guarantees somewhere to stay for one parent only. This could be on the ward or provided elsewhere by the Family Accommodation service if the ward is unable to assist. If the patient is in an intensive care unit, both parents (or two adults) are accommodated.
Due to the limited amount of accommodation available, parents may be asked to relocate if there is a change in their child’s condition.
All accommodation is self-catering, but there are plenty of cafés and shops in the local area. Please ask for a copy of Around GOSH for details.
Bed linen and towels are provided free of charge in all rooms. If you want fresh linen or towels, please put it outside the room in the morning.
If your child is an inpatient on a ward, you can request access to our WiFi system through the ward. If you are staying in the Patient Hotel, you can apply for access at the Weston House reception desk each day after 5pm. If you would prefer to stay in a hotel, we can supply details of local hotels offering a reduced price for GOSH families. Alternatively, you can contact Visit London on 08456 443010 or www. visitlondon.com.
You can contact Family Accommodation on 020 7813 8151 or 020 7829 7871 or email patienthotel@gosh.nhs.uk with your query.
The Paul O’Gorman Patient Hotel was opened in 2004 and is located on Great Ormond Street, about 50 metres from the main entrance on the opposite side of the road. It contains a mixture of en suite rooms and a few flats.
Who can stay here?
It is designed to accommodate patients and their parents/carers before admission to GOSH for an inpatient stay, daycase procedure or following discharge. It also provides somewhere to stay for patients who require treatment on a regular basis but do not necessarily need to stay on the ward, for example, dialysis or chemotherapy patients. Unfortunately, we are only able to accommodate patients coming to GOSH for an outpatient appointment in exceptional circumstances. If you think this may apply to you, please contact the Family Accommodation Service.
Due to the high demand for rooms, we cannot accommodate more than the patient and two adults, unless there is a specific need for someone else to stay as well. Please discuss this with ward/admission staff when asking them to make a booking. Please note: only the people named on the confirmation letter can stay.
How much does it cost?
There is a refundable deposit of £10, which is payable when you check in and an additional £10 deposit is required if you need a remote control for the television in the room. If you leave the room in the condition you found it and return the remote control, these deposits will be given back to you. There are no other charges for you to stay.
How do I book?
The Patient Hotel can only be booked by ward/ admission staff. A confirmation letter will be sent to you giving details of check in and check out times.
There may be times when the Patient Hotel is full so we will find you somewhere else to stay either in Trust accommodation or a local hotel.
How long can I stay in the Patient Hotel?
The ward/admission staff will specify the number of nights required when they book your room. If you need to stay longer, ward/ admission staff will send through another booking request. Please note that if your child becomes an inpatient, you will need to move to other accommodation.
When are check-in and check-out times?
Check-in time is anytime after 3pm and checkout time is 10am. This allows enough time for the room to be cleaned for the family arriving that day.
If you need to leave your luggage, please ask the receptionist on the ground floor (level 2) ring them from your room on extension 1003 or 6738.
If you need to somewhere to wait after check out, you are welcome to use the communal rooms, on each floor of the building, which contain a television, seating, kitchen and dining areas.
Are there any wheelchair accessible rooms?
All rooms are wheelchair accessible as there is lift access to all floors. There are 20 accessible rooms with adaptations to the bathroom.
Can we stay in a flat rather than a room?
Transplant and MRSA patients have priority for the flats. Please ask if this applies to your child.
Are visitors allowed?
Visitors are allowed in the Patient Hotel between 9am and 7pm but they will each need to sign in at reception. Sorry, no visitors are allowed overnight.
How do I cancel a booking?
If you wish to cancel your Patient Hotel booking, please tell ward staff by telephoning the number on your appointment letter. You can also contact the Patient Hotel directly on 020 7829 7977. Please give as much notice as possible so that the room can be given to another patient and their family
The Italian Building used to be the Italian Hospital but was converted in the mid 1990s to form office accommodation and parent rooms and flats. It is located on Queen Square about 100 metres from the main entrance. It contains a mixture of twin and single rooms (some with cots) and four heart transplant flats.
Who can stay here?
Both parents (or two adults) of children admitted to an intensive care unit (PICU, NICU or CICU) have priority and are guaranteed accommodation while their child is on an intensive care unit. Unfortunately, brothers and sisters of patients over the age of six months cannot stay in the Italian Building due to insurance regulations.
How much will it cost?
There is a refundable deposit of £10, which is payable when you check-in. It will be returned to you when you check out if the room is left as you found it.
How do I book?
The Italian Building accommodation is booked through the Family Accommodation department, located in the main reception area of GOSH.
Are there any wheelchair accessible rooms?
While there is a lift in the Italian Building, the accommodation there is not currently suitable for wheelchair users due to fire regulations.
When do we have to relocate to other accommodation?
Accommodation in the Italian Building is guaranteed to both parents when the patient is on an intensive care unit. When the patient is transferred to another ward, you should go to the Family Accommodation department to arrange further accommodation. Please note that once a child has left intensive care, GOSH can only guarantee somewhere to stay for one parent.
The Mothers’ Unit is located within the hospital on level 3 of the Main Nurses’ Home building. It contains a number of twin-bedded rooms for use when a bed is not provided on the ward. Please note that you will need to share a room with another mother. The unit also contains a communal kitchen, bathroom and lounge area.
Who can stay here?
The Mothers’ Unit is only for women.
How much will it cost?
There is a refundable deposit of £5, which is payable when you check-in. This will be returned when you check out if you leave the room in the condition you found it.
How do I book?
The Mothers’ Unit accommodation is booked through the Family Accommodation department, located in the main reception area of GOSH.
Are there any wheelchair accessible rooms?
Unfortunately, the Mothers’ Unit is not suitable for wheelchair users.
When do we have to relocate to other accommodation?
When a bed becomes available on the ward, mothers are required to move out of the Mothers’ Unit to make space for another mother.
Powis Place is a town house located in the small drive about 25 metres to the left of the main entrance. It contains a mixture of single, twin and triple rooms, some en suite and some with cots, and a two bedded basement flat. There is a communal kitchen, shower room and lounge area.
Who can stay here?
The Mothers’ Unit is only for women.
How much will it cost?
There is a refundable deposit of £5, which is payable when you check-in. This will be returned when you check out if you leave the room in the condition you found it.
How do I book?
The Mothers’ Unit accommodation is booked through the Family Accommodation department, located in the main reception area of GOSH.
Are there any wheelchair accessible rooms?
Unfortunately, the Mothers’ Unit is not suitable for wheelchair users.
When do we have to relocate to other accommodation?
When a bed becomes available on the ward, mothers are required to move out of the Mothers’ Unit to make space for another mother.
The Sick Children’s Trust is a charity (Registered Charity No. 284416), separate from GOSH, founded in 1982 with the aim of providing ‘high quality ‘Home from Home’ accommodation for families whose children are receiving hospital treatment for serious illnesses’. The two Sick Children’s Trust houses are located on Grays Inn Road and Guilford Street, both around five minutes’ walk from the main entrance. Rainbow House is on Grays Inn Road and contains a number of triple, twin and double rooms and the Bone Marrow Transplant flat. 10 Guilford Street has a mixture of single, twin, triple and quadruple rooms, which also have space for a blow-up bed or cot.
Who can stay in a Sick Children’s Trust room?
Any family with a child on an intensive care unit have priority for accommodation with The Sick Children’s Trust. Any empty rooms are allocated towards the end of each day to any parent who would not normally meet the guidelines set by GOSH. Families must be referred to The Sick Children’s Trust via Family Accommodation.
How much will it cost?
You will not need to pay a deposit although a donation to The Sick Children’s Trust charity is appreciated.
How do I book?
The Sick Children’s Trust accommodation is booked through the Family Accommodation department, located in the main reception area. . Even if you have stayed there previously, a referral has to be made from the Family Accommodation department.
Are there any wheelchair accessible rooms?
Unfortunately, there are no wheelchair accessible rooms in either The Sick Children’s Trust houses.
When do we have to relocate to other accommodation?
Families who meet the Sick Children’s Trust guidelines can stay indefinitely, but they are reviewed on a monthly basis by the House Manager. London families who stay in a Sick Children’s Trust room may need to move when their child is transferred from intensive care onto a regular ward.
Transport
Transport details by plane, bus or car
Walking
Walking is the cheapest – and can be the most pleasant and fun – way to travel in London. Two London Underground stations are near the hospital (Russell Square and Holborn), and several mainline train stations are within walking distance (Euston, Kings Cross, St Pancras). Maps showing walking routes between the stations and hospital which can be downloaded and printed from the GOSH website, at www.gosh.nhs.uk.
To find out how to walk to the hospital from other locations around the city, you can use the following tools:
Transport for London (TfL) journey planner www.tfl.gov.uk Google Maps www.googlemaps.com
Or Walkit.com, an urban route planning tool that allows you to search for the least polluted, and least busy routes. www.walkit.com
The train is usually the fastest way to travel into central London.
Assistance for disabled passengers on trains
Rail services are now far more accessible than they were in the past and many disabled people are able to use the rail network without assistance. However, assistance at stations is still available for disabled passengers. Train companies can arrange to have a member of staff meet you a help you on and off the train and carry any baggage. It is best to give at least 24 hours’ notice so that they can make arrangements. For more information and a list of train operating companies and telephone numbers, visit: www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/destinations/disabled_passengers.aspx destinations/disabled_passengers.aspx
Travelling from London mainline stations to the hospital
The table on page 3 shows you how to get to the hospital from the stations. The quickest route from each station is highlighted in blue. Many of the walking journey times are comparable with public transport times. All of the bus routes from the stations are direct (except Farringdon which requires one change), and are suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs.
If you are travelling to the hospital from a different mainline rail station, you can use Transport for London’s (TfL) journey planner website (www.tfl.gov.uk ) to find out the best route to the hospital.
To plan your journey to GOSH by bus, or to download bus maps for central London, visit: www.tfl.gov.uk/buses .
Two Tube stations are a short walk from the hospital. Russell Square is the nearest (7 minutes walk) and is on the Piccadilly line, which offers links with Kings Cross station.
Holborn (7 minutes walk) is on the Piccadilly line and Central line, offering links with Kings Cross and Liverpool Street stations.
See the section on walking in this guide for information on getting from the Tube stations to the hospital.
The best way to plan your journey using the Tube is to go to the TfL website: www.tfl.gov.uk.
Accessibility
Russell Square and Holborn Tube stations are not step-free. The TfL website (www.tfl.gov.uk) allows you to add accessibility requirements when searching for routes to the hospital.
Please note: Wheelchair users may still require a ramp or assistance to get on the train, even if the station is step-free.
Oyster Card
The Oyster card is a smart card which can hold ‘pay as you go’ credit for various modes of travel around London. This can be used to travel on the bus, tube, tram and rail etc.
For more information please visit www.oyster.tfl.gov.uk
Many of our visitors choose to cycle to the hospital. If you are planning to cycle to GOSH, please visit the TfL website at www.tfl.gov.uk/ modes/cycling where you can plan your route.
There are cycle racks on Queen Square, Great Ormond Street (Lamb’s Conduit end of the street) and Guilford Street.
You can hire bikes in London from as little as £2 per journey, using Santander Cycles. There are docking stations all over central London, and all you need is a bank card to get started. You do not have to book in advance. The nearest docking station to the hospital is on Guilford Street. You can search for docking stations on the TfL website, at www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/cycling/santander-cycles?intcmp=2295
Why hybrid and electric taxis are better for our patients
Petrol and diesel fuels release pollutants that are harmful to many of our patients, especially those with breathing conditions. Hybrid minicabs have a battery as well as an engine, so do not release as much pollution as a regular car or cab. When ordering a minicab to bring you to the hospital, please ask for a hybrid (they are the same price), and help our patients to breathe better.
The following minicab companies in London can send a hybrid or electric minicab to pick you up or drop you off at the hospital.
When leaving the hospital, minicabs can be ordered from the Infopoint phone in the hospital, which is located between the reception and the main entrance doors.
A small number of electric black cabs (which you can hail in the street) are now operating in London, but most still have diesel or petrol engines.
Driving in central London can be stressful and unreliable, and parking in nearby streets is both scarce and expensive. You will also need to pay the congestion charge to enter central London. Please note there is no official dropoff and pick-up area at the hospital.
Pollution levels (of nitrogen dioxide) in Central London are worse than in any other capital city in Europe. Petrol and diesel fuels release pollutants that are harmful to many of our patients – especially those with breathing conditions. We therefore encourage patients to travel to the hospital by public transport or by walking where possible.
The address for the hospital is:
Great Ormond Street Hospital,
Great Ormond Street,
London WC1N 3JH
Hire Cars
‘Clean Air Zone’ at GOSH – helping our patients to breathe better
Great Ormond Street is a Clean Air Zone. This means that drivers should not leave their engines running for longer than one minute while waiting outside the hospital.
The Congestion Charge
If you come to GOSH by car, you will have to pay a charge to drive within the central London Congestion Charging zone between 7am and 6pm on weekdays (excluding bank and public holidays). There are a number of exemptions and discounts for certain vehicles or vehicle users, for instance disabled badge holders who are registered with Transport for London and vehicles that are classified as ultra low emission. See this website for more information: www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge/discounts-and-exemptions /congestion-charge/discounts-and-exemptions
To pay the Congestion Charge or to register for a discount before you travel visit: www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge
T: 0343 222 2222.
You can also use the infopoint free phone near the main reception desk.
Parking
Parking is expensive in central London and parking spaces near the hospital can be hard to come by. Some of the options for parking your car near GOSH:
These options are explained in more detail in the next sections.
Traffic wardens patrol the area around the hospital regularly. Parking incorrectly can lead to a parking ticket and possibly the towing away of your car. The hospital cannot be held liable for any problems or expenses caused by incorrect parking.
Pay and display machines
There are pay and display bays on Great Ormond Street, Queen Square and Boswell Street, all of which allow a maximum stay of two hours. They charge on a basis of a two minute period so can be quite expensive. Please allow plenty of time to find a parking space – spaces are few and far between, and many of the streets in the area are one-way.
Disabled badge holders
If you have a disabled ‘Blue Badge’, you can park in resident parking bays, pay and display spaces or at parking meters free of charge and without a time limit. You can also park on single yellow lines for a maximum of three hours (this only applies in the immediate area of the hospital). Please put your disabled badge clearly on your dashboard and, if parking on a single yellow line, display the time of your arrival. Please refer to the following website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/theblue-
badge-scheme-rights-and-responsibilitiesin-england for details of Blue Badge Scheme rights and responsibilities in England.
Commercial car parks
There are three NCP car parks in the area surrounding GOSH: at the Imperial Hotel on Russell Square, under Bloomsbury Square and under the Brunswick Centre. It is possible to park there all day or for longer, although parking is usually chargeable by the hour. For details about these car parks and their charges: www.ncp.co.uk T: 0345 050 70 80.
GOSH parking permits
For parents travelling by car, we may be able to provide a parking permit for a few hours for the day of their child’s appointment, admission or discharge. Parents of children in intensive care are eligible for a parking permit for up to three days in succession. The permit allows you to park on a single yellow line on Guilford Street only. Spaces are limited, are offered on a first come first served basis, and we cannot guarantee a space through issuing a permit. Parking elsewhere will make the permit invalid and put you at risk of getting a parking ticket.
Please visit the main reception desk to collect your parking permit. You will need to bring your appointment or admission letter and your car registration number. Once you have the permit, please display it clearly on your dashboard.
Parking tickets (penalty notice)
Please read the parking notices on the street signs carefully when parking near the hospital, to check whether you are allowed to park there and for how long.
You are at risk of getting a parking ticket if:
If you receive a parking ticket, you can:
Please note that you cannot pay the fine and then appeal against it afterwards. By paying the fine you are accepting that it was issued correctly. If you choose to appeal against the parking ticket, you visit the London Borough of Camden website at: www.camden.gov.uk/ccm/content/transport-and-streets/parking/penalty-charge-notices/challenge-a-pcn
Or write to:
Camden Parking Services
PO Box 2014
Pershore WR10 9BF
Some patients may be eligible for nonemergency patient transport. If you are eligible for non-emergency medical transport, or if you have any questions about nonemergency medical transport, please contact the Transport Office at GOSH on 020 7405 9200 ext 1625 or read our Patient transport explained information sheet available at
www.gosh.nhs.uk/parents-and-visitors/directions-map-and-parkingsitors/directions-map-and-parking
(GOSH is a 50-minute car journey from London City Airport)
Airlines that fly directly to London City Airport are as follows:
Flybe.
(GOSH is a 1 hour and 55-minute car journey from London Gatwick)
Airlines flying to London Gatwick are as follows:
British Airways
Easyjet
Iberia
Gatwick Airport has a sensory room. It is a calming and relaxing environment, designed for passengers with disabilities like Autism, Dementia or Cognitive Impairment who will benefit from a safe and distracting place when in unfamiliar surroundings.
The sensory room is wheelchair accessible and free to use for passengers departing from the North Terminal.
How do I book?
To use the sensory room before your flight, you must pre-book to guarantee your space. We recommend you arrive at special assistance reception at least three hours before your flight.
https://www.gatwickairport.com...
The Sensory room is located after security.
Local Shops
Store details
Tesco Express Holborn, 100 Southampton Row (Next to Russel Square Tube Station)
Store opening hours: Monday to Friday 7am to 11pm, Saturday 8am to 6pm and Sunday 11am to 5pm.
A 5-minute walk from the Hospital and it contains a supermarket, bank, clothing stores, restaurants, cinema and a post office.
The centre is generally open: 9am to 6pm for shopping and 7am to 11pm for dining.
On Sundays 11am to 6pm for shopping and 9am to 11pm for dining.
