The renal team at Bristol Children's Hospital cover the whole of the south west of England. 

What will happen?

Depending on where you live will dictate which adult hospital you are transferred to. You may be seen at your local hospital for care after treatment.

The adult team may be different to what you are used to at the Children's Hospital. In the Children's Hospital you may have seen the paediatric nephrologist with your parents. The main different is that the adult Nephrologist will want to talk mainly to you. You can still choose to involve your parents and they can come into appointments with you but as an adult you consent to treatment yourself.

When you see the adult nephrologist it won't be much different to when you see your paediatric nephrologist. You may need blood tests, a urine test and an echocardiogram. You can find out more about these on the following pages.

When should I transfer?

Most young people transfer to adult services when they are between 16-18 yrs old. This depends on your health, how independent and confident you feel, and what is going on at school, college, university, home or work. Transferring to adult care is always planned with you and your kidney health in mind. As you develop into a young adult, an adult service will be the place that is most able to meet your health needs.

If you need a hospital admission related to your kidney condition, you will be in an adult hospital. If this is in Bristol it may be Southmead Hospital. You may find the wards larger, busier and noisier than you are used to. Some young adults find this daunting but it is important to remember that the staff are there to help you manage any anxieties or concerns you have about staying in hospital, and will respect your privacy at all times. Talk to them if you are concerned.