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Original poster

Why does the UK have 16-17 year olds on adult wards?

349 replies

Dodgeitornot · 17/05/2023 21:50

Just that. I've always been confused by it. As far as I know, most countries in Europe, or even the world, keep patients in pediatrics until they turn 18 or even 21. Why does the UK move them to adult wards so early? Isn't this a safeguarding risk?

OP posts:
Original poster
Dodgeitornot · 17/05/2023 22:44

Wazzzzzuuuuuuup · 17/05/2023 22:43

In my hospital, for elective care we would usually place a 16 or 17 yo in paeds and have two wards which we tend to use for babies and young children and then older children and teens. Older teens who wish to be on adult wards are permitted to be if they do not require paeds input eg. An older teen having an ACL repair would go to ortho adults if they wished

This sounds amazing. Is this in the UK?

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TheChosenTwo · 17/05/2023 22:45

Dc2 (17) was on an adult ward recently, she was admitted into paeds A&E and we slept overnight in a treatment room. The next morning they had appointment’s and needed to use the treatment room so they were hastily trying to find her a bed on the teen ward with other similar aged kids. After an hour we were taken to the ward which was a geriatric ward (is this the correct terminology? Massive apologies if not), we were told there was just no space in the ward they were hoping to move us to.
it was all women but 2 of them died in the next 4 days, it was distressing to hear their final hours and minutes.
This may have happened in the teenagers ward too but it was just such a place of sadness. We couldn’t stay overnight with her, it was horrendous leaving her there.
No spare beds to move her elsewhere.

Kanaloa · 17/05/2023 22:45

Dodgeitornot · 17/05/2023 22:42

I said 16-18 year olds are regularly admitted to Great Ormond Street. Because they are. That's their policy. They slowly transfer out their patients to adult services between the ages of 16-18 I'd appropriate but equally you can be admitted there when you're in the 16-18 age bracket.
It's my sister, not niece, and I never said her being on a ward adds up to that. You're completely twisting my words. I'm not here to argue with you as you have nothing of value to add to this. You're not even answering my question. If you'd have been happy to sleep next to old dying men at 16, go figure. Most people wouldn't.

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Talk about twisting words 😂 I’ve said twice I do not agree with mixed wards. But yes, I’m sure me not wanting to be lying on a ward with toddlers/preschoolers/primary schoolers at age 18 makes me a weirdo!

The point is the reason young adults don’t need to be on children’s wards is that they do not require specialist paediatric care. They can be treated safely and more appropriately on adult wards.

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General health
GeraltsBathtub · 17/05/2023 22:45

Dodgeitornot · 17/05/2023 22:23

I've only ever heard of this in oncology. There's some fancy teen cancer wards with PlayStations etc in some London hospitals.
It would be really helpful if they had a 16-19 ward though. It's really scary being in hospital at that age, for both the child and parents.

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This wasn’t oncology, I think it was a generic ward - I was in for orthopaedic surgery, not London. I was mostly incredibly bored!

Prescottdanni123 · 17/05/2023 22:47

In an ideal world, every hospital would have a teenage ward.

16/17 year olds on an adult ward isn't the worst thing as long as a parent is allowed to stay with them. Teenagers should not be forced to stay on wards without a parent to advocate/chaperone them - especially now when understaffed wards mean hospitals can't safeguard them properly.

Original poster
Dodgeitornot · 17/05/2023 22:47

Kanaloa · 17/05/2023 22:45

Talk about twisting words 😂 I’ve said twice I do not agree with mixed wards. But yes, I’m sure me not wanting to be lying on a ward with toddlers/preschoolers/primary schoolers at age 18 makes me a weirdo!

The point is the reason young adults don’t need to be on children’s wards is that they do not require specialist paediatric care. They can be treated safely and more appropriately on adult wards.

Show quote history

"They can be treated safely and more appropriately on adult wards." "they do not require specialist paediatric care."

And you know this for sure? Seems the rest of the world didnt get the memo.

OP posts:
Kanaloa · 17/05/2023 22:48

Dodgeitornot · 17/05/2023 22:47

"They can be treated safely and more appropriately on adult wards." "they do not require specialist paediatric care."

And you know this for sure? Seems the rest of the world didnt get the memo.

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Do I know that 18 year olds don’t require specialist paediatric care? Well yeah. I think I do know that.

Original poster
Dodgeitornot · 17/05/2023 22:48

Prescottdanni123 · 17/05/2023 22:47

In an ideal world, every hospital would have a teenage ward.

16/17 year olds on an adult ward isn't the worst thing as long as a parent is allowed to stay with them. Teenagers should not be forced to stay on wards without a parent to advocate/chaperone them - especially now when understaffed wards mean hospitals can't safeguard them properly.

I agree, if a parent is allowed and they're not on a mixed ward. I think putting a 16/17 year old on a mixed adult ward should be illegal.

OP posts:
FlemCandango · 17/05/2023 22:48

I was 13 and placed on an adult ward when I had an op in the 1980s. The doctor asked what I did for a living. To be honest that was the least of my worries as it was Leeds General when Jim'll was roaming the halls.

Original poster
Dodgeitornot · 17/05/2023 22:49

Kanaloa · 17/05/2023 22:48

Do I know that 18 year olds don’t require specialist paediatric care? Well yeah. I think I do know that.

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You keep saying 18. The whole time I'm talking about 16-17 year olds. What is your point exactly.

OP posts:
titchy · 17/05/2023 22:49

To be honest that was the least of my worries as it was Leeds General when Jim'll was roaming the halls.

You were probably safer on the adult ward in that case...

Original poster
Dodgeitornot · 17/05/2023 22:49

FlemCandango · 17/05/2023 22:48

I was 13 and placed on an adult ward when I had an op in the 1980s. The doctor asked what I did for a living. To be honest that was the least of my worries as it was Leeds General when Jim'll was roaming the halls.

Flippin heck

OP posts:
Change2banon · 17/05/2023 22:50

Dodgeitornot · 17/05/2023 22:00

You can't get married at 16. You also can't have sex with someone 18 or over, or buy cigarettes or alcohol or vote or play the lottery.

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YES 16 year olds CAN have sex with anyone else over the age of 16 … so 18, 19, 20, 30 doesn’t matter - it’s legal (providing they’re not in a position of trust, teacher etc) .. not sure why you think they can’t have sex with over 18’s?? That’s simply just not true.

SirVixofVixHall · 17/05/2023 22:50

PamelaPamela · 17/05/2023 22:01

I think because they are pretty much physically grown adults (past puberty etc) so their needs are not really children's issues anymore.

I didn’t start my periods until I was 16, my friend was 17. Not all 16 year olds are past puberty .

Kanaloa · 17/05/2023 22:51

Look at your posts. You’ve said 16-18 or 16-19 more than once. Do I know that 16-19 year olds don’t require specialist paediatric care on a children’s ward? Yes, obviously. If you can drive yourself to hospital you generally don’t require paediatric care.

Original poster
Dodgeitornot · 17/05/2023 22:52

Change2banon · 17/05/2023 22:50

YES 16 year olds CAN have sex with anyone else over the age of 16 … so 18, 19, 20, 30 doesn’t matter - it’s legal (providing they’re not in a position of trust, teacher etc) .. not sure why you think they can’t have sex with over 18’s?? That’s simply just not true.

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RTFT

OP posts:
Kanaloa · 17/05/2023 22:52

So obviously I didn’t know that ‘the whole time you were talking about 16/17 year olds’ because you actually weren’t, and mentioned 18/19 year olds multiple times.

Onetreelake · 17/05/2023 22:52

Dodgeitornot · 17/05/2023 22:44

Exactly!! Some people on here seem to think children's wards are babies and kids under the age of 7. It's weird.

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No OP, it's you who keeps repeating that. No one except you has said a children's ward is 'small children and pre-schoolers'.

Purplepinkfairy · 17/05/2023 22:52

I work in a irish hospital and we have 15 year old on adult ward. In fact paeds refuse to take 15 year olds

thespy · 17/05/2023 22:53

I didn't know this. DS had an op a while back when he was 17 and it was covered by insurance but it had to be in an inconvenient hospital because he HAD to be in a paediatric bed! He's extremely tall so he looked ridiculous being in there!

Toddlerteaplease · 17/05/2023 22:54

My hospital gives them choice until 18. But realistically we need the beds for younger kids/ teenagers, who can't go to adults. paediatrics gives better care than adults as workloads are smaller.

Original poster
Dodgeitornot · 17/05/2023 22:55

Onetreelake · 17/05/2023 22:52

No OP, it's you who keeps repeating that. No one except you has said a children's ward is 'small children and pre-schoolers'.

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What? I was quoting someone. Plenty of people have said they wouldn't want their young child on a ward with 16-17 year olds. I imagine it's mostly parents of young kids.

OP posts:
Toddlerteaplease · 17/05/2023 22:56

khaa2091 · 17/05/2023 22:05

Soyou think it’s more appropriate for a miscarrying 17 year old to be on a paediatric ward rather than being looked after by Gynae nurses?

They always go to Gynae. (In my hospital, even if under 16) never to a paediatric ward.

Onetreelake · 17/05/2023 22:57

titchy · 17/05/2023 22:41

Spot the parent with small children! Wait till they're teens - esp if one's a girl. I guarantee you'll change your mind.

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This will no doubt horrify you with my callousness, but I'm a teacher so spend plenty of time with young people. Of course a 16 year old will feel vulnerable when unwell. An adult ward, with a chaperone ideally and certainly a private room of one were available, still seems more appropriate to me than a ward with, among others, small children. Clearly young persons wards would be better.

Original poster
Dodgeitornot · 17/05/2023 22:57

Toddlerteaplease · 17/05/2023 22:54

My hospital gives them choice until 18. But realistically we need the beds for younger kids/ teenagers, who can't go to adults. paediatrics gives better care than adults as workloads are smaller.

I definitely think beds on peads should be prioritised to those who physically can't go to adults. I think I'd have less of an issue with 16-17 year olds on adult wards if they weren't forced onto mixed wards and their parents were allowed to stay with them as standard. I still don't think it's right.

OP posts:
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