Orthopaedic Service (children)

Our Children’s Orthopaedic Service is provided by experienced paediatric orthopaedic surgeons and their team, based at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (Wonford). We aim to provide the best possible care for children and their families, communicating with you at every step of the way and providing any treatment close to home.

  • Our services are supported by a paediatric team made up of specialist doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals.
  • Our therapists play an important part in getting children back up on their feet and recovering after surgery.
  • Our anaesthetic doctors are specially trained to deal with keeping children safe and comfortable around the time of their operation.

We have a dedicated high-dependency unit for children that might need a bit more support following an injury or operation.

More about us

We run consultant-led outpatient clinics for general orthopaedics, as well as specific clinics for hip dysplasia, Ponseti talipes treatment, minor childhood ailments, complex neuro-disability and scoliosis.

We have dedicated children’s orthopaedic and spinal theatres, as well as paediatric surgical beds, including an adolescent unit and paediatric high dependency unit.

Children who need surgery attend a nurse led pre-assessment clinic.

The hospital also has paediatric intensive care beds.

We treat a range of children’s orthopaedic disorders, including:

  • Cerebral palsy: we help with conditions of the joints and muscles which can be affected by cerebral palsy
  • Foot disorders, including talipes (club foot), foot deformity and painful flatfoot
  • Knee disorders including osteochondral defects and meniscal injury
  • Developmental and blood supply problems of the hip (developmental Dysplasia & Perthes disease)
  • Children’s spinal disease and scoliosis
  • Limb length discrepancy, growth disturbances and deformity correction
  • Minor ailments, including bow legs, knock knees, in-toeing, out-toeing, curly toes, flatfeet, toe walking
  • Fractures and trauma
  • Bone and joint infections

Referral to specialist centres is often required for children with the following problems:

  • Complex gait disorders requiring gait analysis
  • Limb lengthening with complex deformity
  • Adolescent/young adults requiring corrective pelvic osteotomies
  • Skeletal dysplasia and rare syndromes
  • Peripheral nerve injury

Where to find us

Depending on your appointment, you may be seen at one of our main hospital sites, at a community hospital, or in a specific community setting. Some specialties and treatment options are based solely at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (Wonford), such as radiotherapy and some types of surgery.

 

Eastern services

RD&E Wonford, Barrack Rd, Exeter EX2 5DW.

  • Princess Elizabeth Orthopaedic Centre

Northern services

North Devon District Hospital, Raleigh Park, Barnstaple, Devon, EX31 4JB.

  • Children's Outpatient Department: Level 2
  • Caroline Thorpe Ward: Ladywell Unit, Level 2
  • Special Care Unit, Caroline Thorpe Ward, LadywellUnit, Level 2

Contact us

Eastern Services

  • Paediatric contact secretary: 01392 403564
  • You can also contact our consultants' secretaries:
  • Mr Cox, secretary: 01392 403564
  • Mr Wansbrough, secretary: 01392 403564
  • Mr Clarke, secretary: 01392 506352
  • Mr Stokes, secretary: 01392 404728
  • Mr Anderton, secretary: 01392 403747
  • Dr Dix, secretary: 01392 402474
  • Dr Martin, secretary: 01392 402474

Northern Services

North Devon District Hospital 

Main switchboard on 01271 322577

Meet the team

East

We have a specialist team of surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses and physiotherapists who all focus on the care of children in our clinics, operating theatres and wards.

The consultant team:

  • Mr Peter Cox Lead Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon
  • Mr Guy Wansbrough Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon
  • Mr Andrew Clarke Consultant Spinal Surgeon
  • Mr Oliver Stokes Consultant Spinal Surgeon
  • Mr Mike Anderton Consultant Spinal Surgeon
  • Dr Phillipa Dix Consultant Paediatric Anaesthetist
  • Dr Tom Martin Consultant Paediatric Anaesthetist

Our consultant team is supported by an experienced paediatric orthopaedic physiotherapist, aftercare physiotherapy team, hip ultrasonographer, childrens orthotists, paediatric nurses.

The paediatric orthopaedic service works closely with paediatricians, neurodevelopmental physiotherapists and orthotists to provide multidisciplinary care through clinics held in Vranch House, a school for children with neuro-disability in Exeter.

Services and treatments

Multidisciplinary cerebral palsy clinic
Run at Vranch House by a consultant orthopaedic surgeon, consultant paediatrician and senior physiotherapists with an interest in cerebral palsy. They assess the ongoing and future management of patients with CP, from surgery to community support.

Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH) clinic
Run by a consultant orthopaedic surgeon, senior ultrasonographer and aftercare physiotherapist. It is for babies and infants with suspected DDH. Patients will have an examination and ultrasound of their hips. Pavlik harness treatment can be instigated and supervised if required.

Congenital Talipes Equinovarus (CTEV) Clinic
Run by a consultant orthopaedic surgeon and senior aftercare physiotherapists. The clinic is for the assessment and treatment of congenital foot deformities. The Ponseti method will be used if appropriate.

Minor Ailment clinic
Run by an experienced children’s physiotherapist with consultant support. For patients with common minor ailments that affect children at different ages. eg disorders of gait , in-toeing, out-toeing, flat feet, knock knees, bow legs, toe-walking, limb pain in the growing child.

General children’s orthopaedic clinic
Run by our children’s orthopaedic surgeons and supported by paediatric nurses and aftercare physiotherapist. It caters for the whole spectrum of children’s orthopaedics. There is a dedicated x-ray facility, treatment rooms, and waiting area for children and their families.

Children’s fractures
Care is provided through attendance at the RD&E fracture clinic by one of 12 experienced trauma surgeons, supported by plaster technicians and physiotherapists.

Scoliosis Clinic
Consultant-provided care and assessment for children with curvatures of the spine (scoliosis) and supported by spinal physiotherapists. Our consultant surgeons also run peripheral clinics for children with scoliosis in other hospitals throughout the Southwest peninsula.

Supporting you

More support

If you are feeling down, stressed or anxious about anything, there are a number of websites and apps that can provide information, advice, and support.

Devon SEND Local Offer

What is the SEND Local Offer?

Devon’s SEND Local Offer is the education, health and social care services and support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) from birth to 25.

More information

Patient information leaflets

We produce a wide range of leaflets which provide information about our services and about the treatment you might receive in our clinics or during your stay in hospital. 

We also produce these in different formats including large print, please contact the department you are visiting for more information.

Find out more

Useful videos

We have a wide range of videos which provide information about our services and about the treatment you might receive in our clinics or during your stay in hospital. 

Find out more

Last updated: November 15, 2022.