Caterpillar outpatients

Welcome to Caterpillar outpatients. We all welcome you and are here to help facilitate the best possible care for you and your family.

Caterpillar outpatients is located on Level 2 of the Octav Botnar Wing. It treats a wide range of conditions and offers a range of specialty clinics as well as specialist nurse clinics.

There are 10 consulting rooms, one isolation room, and one treatment room.

Caterpillar outpatients is open six days a week:

Monday – Thursday: 8.00am - 8.00pm
Friday: 8.00am - 6.00pm
Saturday: 9.00am - 1.00pm

If you have any questions during your time on the ward, please speak to one of our expert nursing team or myself.

Staff

Senior Staff Nurse: Emma Collins
Reception +44 (0)20 7405 9200 extensions 8517/0307
Nurses station +44 (0)20 7405 9200 extension 0681
Matron: Claudia Tomlin +44 (0)207 813 8401

Before arriving

Once your appointment is confirmed you will receive an appointment letter. This letter will include details of your appointment, including where to go and a cost estimate if applicable. Please bring this letter with you on the day of the appointment as it will be needed to complete the registration process.

If this is your first appointment with us, you may receive a phone call from us the day before to confirm the details of the appointment.

Please arrive 15 minutes before your appointment is due, in order to register. If you are running late for your appointment, please contact Caterpillar Outpatients on +44 (0)20 7813 8517.

It is unsafe for some of our patients to come into contact with people who could have certain infectious diseases.

If your child has been in contact with a person with measles, mumps, chicken pox or a tummy bug during the three weeks before the appointment, please let us know and do not bring them to the hospital. We will instead arrange another appointment as soon as possible.

Please let us know if your child has any other known infection, as they will need to be seen in a designated isolation room. When you arrive at the hospital, please inform reception of the infection.

Please see here for advice on what to bring to your appointment.

What to expect on arrival

When you arrive, please report to the International and Private Care reception desk, situated on level 2 of the Octav Botnar Wing. You can access this through the hospital entrance on Lamb’s Conduit Street. For more information about how to navigate around the hospital, please visit these pages.

For registration, you will need your appointment letter, proof of appointment authorisation or payment, and two forms of identification – including one photo ID. These should be official documents and demonstrate your residential address.

If your child is due to undergo any tests or investigations, an identity wristband will be issued for them. Please ensure that the wristband remains on your child throughout the visit.

Our waiting area has toys and a television set to entertain your child while you are waiting.

Interpreting support

Arabic interpreters on Caterpillar outpatients provide an interpretation and translation service for families and patients during the following times:

8.00 am - 8.00 pm Monday-Thursday
8.00 am - 6.00 pm Friday
9.00 am - 1.00 pm Saturday

Facilities

There are toilet facilities on Caterpillar outpatients, and a designated play specialist who will be able to provide you with toys and activities whilst you are in the department.

There is fresh fruit, water and a variety of juices and light snacks available in Caterpillar. If your appointment is for a significant length of time our hospitality team can also provide a hot meal; please ask one of the nursing team. For more information on facilities for children and families within the hospital please visit these pages.

Haematology / Oncology Patients

If your child is under the care of a Haematology/Oncology consultant please ensure you bring your child’s shared care folder and line care packs for every visit.

If your child becomes unwell, please call +44 (0)20 7405 9200 ext 0681 before 6pm.

After 6pm, please call Butterfly Ward on +44 (0)20 7829 8645.

If you need to book further appointments for your child, please notify the nurses on your arrival so that arrangements can be made.

Blood results should be available after 4pm, please call Caterpillar Outpatients on +44 (0)20 7405 9200 ext 5946 to obtain these.

Prescriptions for medication

Please take any prescriptions you receive to the Octav Botnar Wing International and Private Care reception desk. Here, reception staff will explain the process of obtaining your prescribed medication.

If you are a self-paying patient, please make payment for medication at the Octav Botnar Wing International and Private Care reception desk and a receipt will be issued. This receipt needs to be shown to the pharmacy department who will then dispense the medication for you.

If you are an embassy or insurance sponsored patient, the pharmacy will fax the cost estimate to the International and Private Care finance team who will request authorisation from your sponsor. We will then arrange collection with you once the payment is authorised. Please note that some sponsors will not fund medications.

It may be the case that you are required to pay for medications but can claim back the cost from your sponsor at a later date.

Repeat prescriptions, supplies and milk

If you require a repeat prescription, please request this during your appointment with the consultant.

However, if you are running low on your child’s medication and cannot wait until your next scheduled appointment, please bring your child’s medication bottles/boxes with you to Caterpillar Outpatients in order for a repeat prescription to be processed.

Please give at least seven days’ notice.

Medical reports and visa letters

Medical reports can be collected from the reception desk on request. If you require a letter to support your visa renewal, please ensure you request this at least one month before your visa is due to expire by contacting your consultant’s secretary.

Cancelling an appointment

If your child is unable to attend a scheduled appointment, please call us on +44 (0)20 7762 6822 to cancel the appointment as soon as possible. We will then ask the consultant’s secretary to contact you with a new appointment time.

Please note that we may be unable to give you a rescheduled date immediately as we do not hold the consultant’s diary.