Leeds Children's Hospital

07/01/2026

Wintry weather is continuing and the Met Office has now issued a yellow warning for heavy snow from tomorrow and into Friday.

This change in temperature can have serious effects for some people, particularly those with medical conditions and young children or older adults.

With a forecast of snow, please be extra careful when out and about to avoid any slips and trips which may bring you into our Emergency Departments.

07/01/2026

Our hospitals are under significant pressure. If you are not seriously ill, we may not be the best place for you to get the treatment you need.

If you need immediate medical help where it isn’t an emergency, NHS 111 is available on the phone and online 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week. The NHS 111 team can also make an appointment for you to attend urgent treatment centres and minor injuries units in Leeds.

- Shakespeare Medical Centre (walk-in centre), Burmantofts, is open daily 8am - 8pm.
- Minor Injuries Unit at St George’s Centre, Middleton, is open daily 8am - 10.30pm.
- Urgent Treatment Centre at Wharfdale Hospital, Otley, is open daily 8am -11pm.
- Find a list of local pharmacies https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/pharmacy/find-a-pharmacy

Your local pharmacy can provide expert, confidential advice and treatment, and there is no need for an appointment. Think Pharmacy First.

01/01/2026

Happy New Year to all our patients, families and colleagues across Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust! 🎆

30/12/2025

Christmas with a twist! 🎄

After sharing the winner of our Best-Dressed Christmas Tree Competition, we just HAD to share some more of the amazing Christmas decorations at Leeds Children's Hospital.

This year all our wards and clinical areas have gone all out with a range of festive themes including:

- Christmas in Hawaii
- North Pole Disco
- Give the gift of you
- A Disney Christmas
- Christmas Party
- Christmas Eve boxes... and lots more!

In 2025 ward Christmas decorations have been supported by Leeds Hospitals Charity but our staff make every penny go twice as far by using home-made decorations and, as much as possible, using recycled or re-purposed materials.

Have a look at some of these clever Christmassy creations...

Well done to everyone involved in decorating the hospital for Christmas this year.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

30/12/2025

Dan's is a familiar face to staff, patients and families at Leeds Children's Hospital. Thank you and Merry Christmas to Dan and all the amazing Leeds Hospitals Charity Wayfinder Volunteers who work hard all year round to welcome patients and families and support them as they find their way to where they need to be.

Volunteers are doing their bit in our hospitals over the Christmas period too - Dan is a Welcome Volunteer for Leeds Hospitals Charity, helping patients and visitors find their way in our hospitals.

He says: “The Christmas period will be a time of joy and sadness for many visiting Leeds Teaching Hospitals. As a Welcome Volunteer I enjoy helping patients and families to their appointments.

"These are often in stressful times, so they are thankful for the support and company. In my role I feel part of the wider hospital family."

30/12/2025

| Cases of children in hospital with RSV are on the rise.

Cleaning surfaces & children’s toys regularly can help limit the spread of any harmful viruses this winter.

26/12/2025

Meet Freddie!

One patient to meet Santa in the grotto last week was nine-month-old Freddie. Freddie has Cystic Fibrosis and has been in and out of hospital since birth, transferred to Leeds Children’s Hospital for specialist Cystic Fibrosis treatment. Most recently Freddie has been admitted for IV antibiotics and oxygen.

Freddie has spent most of December at Leeds Children’s Hospital so his family have taken part in lots of Christmas activities and visits organised by staff.

Freddie’s parents - Aiden and Hayley - said:

‘Sometimes Freddie has to isolate from other patients for seven days at a time which can be really lonely for him and us. It has been so nice to have the days broken up by visits and activities, like going to see Santa and the footballers’ visit. It’s just something different that makes you forget where you are.’

Aiden and Hayley have been split between home and hospital with four-year-old big sister Grace visiting Freddie whenever she can. Grace was also able to meet Santa in the grotto and the whole family were able to spend some time together.

Hayley said:

‘We’re so grateful to the hospital staff who don’t just think about the medical treatment, they think about the things we would be doing if Freddie wasn’t in hospital. They get that Freddie is poorly but we’re still a family and it’s still a special time’

Freddie was discharged on Christmas Eve and spent Christmas at home with mum, dad and Grace. Merry Christmas to Freddie and all his family!

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Leeds Hospitals Charity

25/12/2025

🎄 Merry Christmas from Leeds Children's Hospital! 🎅

This morning we're wishing a very merry Christmas to all our patients, families and colleagues. We hope that everyone enjoys a peaceful day whether you're at home or in hospital.

We are delighted to say that with the help of local charities, businesses, organisations and individuals Santa has well and truly been to Leeds Children's Hospital this morning! Thank you to everyone who has donated gifts for patients in hospital this Christmas.

Last week Santa and Mrs Claus made a special early visit to Leeds Children's Hospital and met with patients in a magical Christmassy grotto inside the hospital.

With the support of clinical staff, even some of our most unwell patients were able to visit the grotto and meet Santa.

Lisa Beaumont (Therapeutic and Specialised Play Manager) said:

‘It’s been a magical day and so many positive memories have been made. It’s been so nice to see families doing something normal and Christmassy together. We’ve had amazing support from nursing colleagues which has meant that even our most acutely unwell patients have been able to visit Santa and share their Christmas wishes’

Thank you to all the children's hospital staff who worked extremely hard to make Santa's visit possible and for ensuring that patients were able to visit safely. Thank you to Lily Kerbey (Musician) for providing beautiful live music. Thank you to Leeds Hospitals Charity for supporting the event and Candlelighters for making The Pavilion available which made a perfect Grotto!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

24/12/2025

Watch this short film to see what happened when players from Leeds United first team visited patients at Leeds Children's Hospital last week 🎅

Thank you LUTV for sharing this very festive video! 💙

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

24/12/2025

Leeds Children's Hospital's Best-Dressed Christmas Tree 🎄

It's Christmas Eve and we're excited to announce the winner of our Best-Dressed Christmas Tree Competition!

With plenty of help from patients and families our teams have been decking the halls, competing for the title of Best-Dressed Christmas Tree and in the process entire wards have been transformed!

Last week judges toured the hospital and were wowed with a series of festive presentations and performances!

The overall winner with a beautiful 'home away from home' theme and recycled decorations was Ward L38 - take a bow Ward L38!

Also awarded Highly Commended were:
🏄 Ward L30 with their Hawaiian Christmas theme
🧝‍♂️Children's Dialysis Unit with their ward full of cheeky elves

Judges said:

‘The standard of decoration this year is incredible! Staff have really raised the bar with incredible themes, creativity, performances and most importantly - the involvement of our patients. A huge well done to everyone involved in decorating the hospital this Christmas and making it feel truly magical for patients and families'

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

23/12/2025

Special delivery for Leeds Children's Hospital!

Railway staff from Northern, Network Rail, Trans-Pennine Express and LNER swapped trains for sleighs when they made a special delivery of Christmas gifts to Leeds Children's Hospital yesterday.

Railway staff were joined by local sports teams, West Yorkshire Police, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue and British Transport Police.

The procession that left Leeds Station at 10am included two fire engines, police cars, police motor bikes, Santa and Mrs Claus and two sleighs full of toys!

Gifts were gratefully received by Leeds Children's Hospital staff. Patients enjoyed meeting Santa and testing out the fire engine sirens!

Laura Whelan - Head of Nursing - said:

'The toy run has become such a lovely tradition, it’s something we always look forward to in our Christmas calendar and our patients love it. It started with one of our patients wanting to give something back and now it has grown to include so many local organisations and people in the community who want to do something kind for children in hospital at Christmas.'

Thank you to everyone at Northern and all the local organisations involved in this fantastic donation for children spending Christmas in hospital.

Northern London North Eastern Railway British Transport Police TransPennine Express Trains West Yorkshire Police West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Leeds Hospitals Charity