Teen

Transition to Adult Congenital Cardiac Services

• Getting ready to move to the adult service information sheet

  When you turn 16 years old your healthcare and lifestyle needs will change, so these needs can be met, your care will be transferred to the adult congenital heart service.

  Transition means getting you and your family ready for this change and it may start to be discussed at your clinic appointments when you are 12 to 13 years old.

  Here, Jo, one of our adult specialist nurses explains what transition is all about and what happens when you go to the adult clinics.

  There may be lifestyle issues that you have not had to think about before such as careers, exercise, travel or contraception or you may want to learn more about your heart condition or have questions about your future and we can help with this.

  You will be able to start taking more responsibility for your own health and you may want to see your consultant on your own for part of your clinic appointment.

  Ready, steady, go is a national transition framework that we use at Leeds Congenital Hearts. Please look at this website for more information There is some practical advice about how to prepare for your transition.

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  Transition clinics and evenings

  To help provide you and your family with information about moving to the adult service we hold transition evenings for patients and their families.

  These were held at Leeds General Infirmary but since the Covid-19 pandemic we have been holding them virtually on Zoom.
  You will be invited to attend one of these evenings once you are ready to transfer to the adult service. They happen twice a year.

  You will be given information to help you move into the adult service and you will have the opportunity to ask the team any questions you may have.

  If you have a more complex congenital heart condition, you will be invited to your own transition clinic appointment with one of the nurse specialists. This is currently virtually held on Zoom too.

  At your first appointment in the Adult service you will have the opportunity to meet the Consultant and also the Nurse Specialist. At this appointment you will be given written information to support you moving to adult care and how to access other services.

• The Adult Clinics

  At the moment we run 3 adult congenital cardiac clinics:
  • Leeds
  • Sheffield
  • Hull.

  Do get in touch with the specialist nurses if you want to know more:
  Children’s Cardiac Nurse Specialists – 0113 3925467
  Adult’s Cardiac Nurse Specialists – 0113 3928154

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  Jo B shows us around the adult congenital heart clinic at Leeds General Infirmary.

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• Jo Q shows us around the adult congenital cardiac out patients at Castle Hill Hospital in Hull

  

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  Angela, adult cardiac nurse specialist show around the Chesterman Wing Clinic, at Northern General Hospital in Sheffield.