The Michael Rice Centre - Ward

The Michael Rice Centre Ward cares for children from South Australia and the Northern Territory who have blood disorders and cancer. The ward is a centre for

• diagnosis for new patients
• chemotherapy
• treatment of infections and low blood counts
• transplants
• other disease related therapies.

Ward staff work closely with the Clinic which provides outpatient and day patient care for the same group of children. The ward works closely with many support groups including:

Camp Quality

Cancer Council of South Australia

CanTeen

Kids with Cancer Foundation Australia

Little Heroes Foundation

Make-a-Wish Foundation

Redkite

Ronald McDonald House

The Childhood Cancer Association

The Haemophilia Foundation, SA

The Leukaemia Foundation, SA

How to access the service

A doctor's referral is needed to the Clinical Haematology/Oncology Department of the WCH or Haematology/Oncology Clinic.

Information for Families

Parents and caregivers

We welcome the involvement of parents and caregivers while children are in hospital.

The Ward has a parents' room with tea and coffee, breakfast facilities and a television. For parents living in, breakfast is available. There is also a quiet room where staff can meet with families to discuss diagnosis, explain treatment or plan discharge. Familes are welcome to use this room as a quiet haven as the need arises.

One parent or caregiver over the age of 16 years is welcome to stay in the ward overnight. A fold out sofa bed or recliner chair and linen are provided.

Accommodation is available at nearby hotels or motels. 

The Butterfly Card scheme assists families where children are admitted to hospital for an anticipated period of more than a week or who have frequent admissions or outpatient/day therapy appointments.

Clothes washing facilities are available on the ward for long term patients.(washing powder is provided)

The Hospital does not take responsibility for theft or loss of valuables.  Please do not leave your valuables unattended. 

Caring for your child

Beds and rooms are allocated on the basis of medical need.

Bedtime is usually around 8pm.  Main lights are turned off at this time and night lights are turned on.

Services and facilities

The Hospital provides nutritious meals for children.  Meals for parents and caregivers are available from the cafe and the play deck.

Our play coordinator will help your child to relax and have fun during their stay. The ward playroom has a range of games, toys and activities.

Mobile phones can not be used in patient rooms as they interfere with sensitive medical equipment.  Please observe signs.  Pay phones are located near the cafe. Incoming calls will be transferred to the bedroom phone.

Television, video players and music are provided in patient areas for all children. There are four television, four video and four Foxtel channels. There is a range of appropriate videos and CDs for you to borrow.

Car parking is available on or near the hospital grounds.

Visiting hours

Parents, care givers and immediate family may visit at any time. Others may visit between 10am and 8pm.  Please limit the number of visitors to no more than three at any one time.

You may wish to make arrangements for other siblings to be cared for while you are visiting particularly if your child is very tired. Siblings may be cared for in the WCH creche.

Visitors, including family members with any infectious illness, upset stomach, skin infection or cold must not visit Michael Rice Ward. Infections can easily be passed on.

Resources

Childhood Cancer – Information for Your Family

This information package is written for families who have a child diagnosed with cancer. You can find information on specific diseases, treatment and tests, how to cope with a cancer diagnosis in the family, services at the hospital and where to find more information.

The package does not contain all the answers but it attempts to provide a basic and practical introduction to the common issues that confront a family when a child is diagnosed with cancer. The topics covered are based on our experience of the questions parents and children commonly ask. We hope this information will also be of value to members of the extended family who do not have the opportunity of first hand contact with the Oncology Team.

Childhood Blood Disorders – Information for Your Family

This information package is written for families who have a child diagnosed with a bleeding disorder. You can find information on specific diseases, treatment and tests, how to cope with a bleeding disorder diagnosis in the family, services at the hospital and where to find more information.

The package does not contain all the answers but it attempts to provide a basic and practical introduction to the common issues that confront a family whose child has been diagnosed with a bleeding disorder. The topics covered are based on our experience of the questions parents and children commonly ask. We hope this information will also be of value to members of the extended family who do not have the opportunity of first hand contact with the Haematology Team.

Contact Information

Unit Heads

Oncology Medical Unit Head
Dr Heather Tapp

Nursing Services Director
TBA

Consultants

Dr Maria Kirby

Dr Michael Osborn

Associate Prof. Tamas Revesz

Dr Michael Rice

Dr Petra Ritchie

Dr Ram Suppiah

Location

5th Floor, Gilbert Building

Contact Information

Mailing Address

The Michael Rice Centre for Haematology and Oncology

Women's and Children's Hospital

72 King William Road

North Adelaide 

South Australia 5006

Phone/Fax/Email

Ph (08) 8161 7225

Fax (08) 8161 6567

Email cywhs.brookmanstaff@health.sa.gov.au

last modified: 24 Nov 2020

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