We are the home to a thriving and active Paediatric Neurosciences department with a national reputation. We receive referrals from the local area, and Paediatric teams from North and West Yorkshire, South Tees, Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire, and North Lincolnshire. We also provide nationally commissioned services and receive referrals from the wider parts of the UK and Ireland.
What we do
Leeds Children’s Hospital Neuroscience team provides a specialist (tertiary) service for the diagnosis and medical and surgical treatment of children with neurological disorders. We also have active involvement with local, national and international research projects.
Children and young people are cared for in our specialist Neuroscience ward, Ward L52 at our Leeds General Infirmary site (LGI). We also provide outpatient care in clinics at LGI.
Patients undergoing neurosurgery benefit from our model of ‘shared care’ in which our neurosurgeons and neurologists work closely together to maximise the quality and safety of patient care.
All our patients benefit from a multidisciplinary approach where we work closely with other specialists from across Leeds Children’s Hospital and other specialist centers across the region.
In April 2019 the Leeds Children’s Hospital opened a new specialist intra-operative MRI theatre suite. This highly specialised addition to our services enables the paediatric neurosurgeons to improve outcomes and reduce the risks when operating on children with complex brain and spinal cord tumours.
Services provided
Clinics and Wards
Ward L52
Our dedicated Paediatric Neurosciences Ward in the Clarendon Wing. Ward L52 is a regional specialist unit, caring for children and young people requiring neurosurgical and neurological care and expertise. It is staffed by qualified Paediatric nurses, doctors, and support workers with years of experience and specialist knowledge. Other Paediatric healthcare professionals work within the multidisciplinary team on L52, and your child may be referred to, or visited by, these professionals during their stay with us.
Multidisciplinary care is provided for all children on the ward – delivered by the paediatric neurology, paediatric neurosurgery and paediatric neuro-rehabilitation consultants and specialist allied health professionals. Children having neurosurgery are cared for as joint patients with the paediatric neurosurgeon and paediatric neurologist, providing integrated shared care. Children also attend Neuro-rehabilitation sessions in the therapy room on ward L52 and/or in the hydrotherapy pool in the physiotherapy department.
Visiting times on L52: We understand that having your child admitted into hospital is an extremely stressful experience and can affect all aspects family life and its usual functions, and we hope that our visiting policy reflects this.
Parents/main carers are encouraged and welcome to be with their child 24/7. We have the facilities to accommodate one parent/carer sleeping on the ward, at the child’s bedside. Please discuss your needs with a member of our staff.
Meet the Team
We are a multidisciplinary team consisting of: Paediatric Neurologists, Paediatric Neurosurgeons, Specialist Nurses, Allied Health Professionals, Play Therapists and Psychologists.
Our Neurologists and Neurosurgeons are listed below.
Consultants
Dr Anne-Marie Childs – Consultant Paediatric Neurologist
Special interest: Neuromuscular disorders
Dr John Livingston – Consultant Paediatric Neurologist
Special interests: Inherited white matter disorders
Dr Helen McCullagh – Consultant Paediatric Neurologist
Special Interests: Complex Epilepsy, Ketogenic Diet in Epilepsy, Tuberous Sclerosis, Neurovascular disease
Dr Karen Pysden – Consultant Paediatric Neurologist
Special Interests: Neuromuscular disorders, neurovascular disease, complex epilepsy
Dr Munni Ray – Consultant Paediatric Neurologist and Neurophysiologist
Special Interests: Complex epilepsy, childhood headache, paediatric nerophysiologist
Dr Lydia Green – Consultant Paediatric Neurologist
Special interests: Inherited white matter disorders
Dr Micheal Tayor – Consultant Paediatric Neurologist
Paediatric Neurosurgeons
Mr Paul Chumas – Consultant Paediatric Neurosurgeon
Specialist Interests: Epilepsy surgery, tumour surgery, Craniofacial surgery, complex hydrocephalus surgery and endoscopy
Mr Atul Tyagi – Consultant Paediatric Neurosurgeon
Specialist Interests: Neurovascular surgery, tumour surgery, spinal dysraphism surgery, complex hydrocephalus surgery and endoscopy
Mr John Goodden – Consultant Paediatric Neurosurgeon
Specialist Interests: Tumour surgery, Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR), Spasticity surgery, complex hydrocephalus, endoscopy
Mr Gnanamurthy Sivakumar – Consultant Paediatric Neurosurgeon
Specialist Interests: Epilepsy surgery, Functional neurosurgery, Neuro-oncology (tumour surgery), complex hydrocephalus, neuro-endoscopy, Traumatic brain injury
Contact us
To contact the team on Ward L52 please call: 01133927452
