The Bristol Royal Hospital for Children is the central
hospital for the South West and South Wales Congenital Heart
Centre, providing a comprehensive congenital cardiology and cardiac
surgical service for patients in the South West of England as well
as a cardiac surgical service to South Wales. The treatment of
cardiac conditions often starts with diagnosis before birth and can
last through to adulthood.
Treatment before birth
The fetal cardiology service is undertaken in close
collaboration with the Regional Fetal Medicine unit based at St
Michael's Hospital. There is a well established Telemedicine link
with the Fetal Medicine Unit in Truro and Exeter for remote
fetal (and paediatric) cardiac diagnosis.
Find
out more about our fetal cardiology service
Treatment for babies and children
The paediatric service is based at the Bristol Royal Hospital
for Children (BRHC) with peripheral specialist clinics in Truro,
Plymouth, Torbay, Exeter, Barnstaple, Taunton, Cheltenham,
Gloucester, Bath and Swindon. The unit is supported
by two clinical nurse specialists and a clinical
psychologist.
Find
out more about the paediatric cardiac service
Treatment for young people and adults
The Grown up Congenital Heart Unit - also known as the GUCH - is
based in Bristol Heart Institute, near to the BRHC. The unit also
holds a high-risk pregnancy clinic in the adjacent St Michael's
Hospital. Satellite clinics are held in Exeter, Swindon, Truro,
Barnstaple, Torbay, Taunton and Cheltenham.
Our colleagues based at the University Hospital of Wales,
Cardiff, deliver an equivalent diagnostic inpatient and outpatient
service in South Wales.
Find out more about our
GUCH service
Further information for patients and healthcare
professionals
Further information about congenital heart disease and support
for those living with a defect can be found on the patient and family
information pages.
