"The Cleft Team"

I have been attending the Cleft, lip and palette team for over 7 years and 3 children all requiring surgery.

Jenny, Anne, Shirley, Corrie and Anne are some of the most likable and patient members of the specialist nursing service that has now been centralised.

Since the centralisation of Cleft services our care for three children has not changed in the slightest. The specialist nurses are full of knowledge, always contactable via phone or email and have never 'forgotten' to return a call or answer an email.

When we attend clinic with 3 children, we wait, just like every other clinic in every other department. Our appointment time, is as with any other clinic an estimated time. We fully understand and it is always made aware at clinics that sometimes waiting times can be longer. Our expectations are always managed professionally, with only 5 specialist nurses and 2 surgeons (who are approachable, likeable, professional and all around very nice people to deal with) we understand and expect that we only see Mark or Craig if there is a need to. 

As parents we are 100% confident in the opinions of the 5 specialist nurses. We know that if any of them had a concern they would raise it with the surgeons and we would be either be seen if possible at that clinic or would return to another clinic for which a surgeon is available. 

We have always found over the past years that the Cleft team are fantastic at liaising with other departments to ensure the best care for our children. 

I as a father whole heartedly believe that the cleft team not only care about the success of surgery for my children, but they also care about us all as a family and are genuinely interested about how are children are doing as they grow up and become happy little people.

My only concern is how much extra work and travelling this small staffed team are having to do. We have noticed staff are are around the hospital alot more hours than they used to be. Travelling the length of Scotland to provide care, my concern is how long can they continue to provide there best levels of care without more support and staff.

As clefts become more common, we meet more and more parents who have only had wonderful experiences with the cleft team and the only real issue we have ever encountered in nearly 7 years is a lack of bed space when being treat as an inpatient in the childrens hospital.

Over 7 years we have dealt with Gastro, ENT, Complex Airways including Tracheostomy, Oxygen and Npa care, Physiotherapy, Speech and Language Therapy, Dental services, Emergency care, Inpatient care, Neonatology, Maxillo Facial, Orthotics, Opthamology, Genetics, Cleft services, General Surgery, intensive Care. 

Out of all of these encounters with 3 very sick children some of our most cherished hospital memories and strongest relationships with staff have been formed with the cleft team in the Childrens Hospital. 

So much so that during our most recent stay in Neonatology we have met other parents with varying types of clefts and been able to reassure them that over our 7 years of experience that the Cleft team are some of the hardest working, most approachable and caring staff we have ever dealt with.

It has been a joy and a pleasure to have our children cared for by this wonderful team.