Sarah Wheatland joins The Portland Hospital

One of Britain’s top paediatric nurses, Sarah Wheatland, formerly Paediatric Lead Nurse at Imperial College, London, has joined The Portland Hospital for Women and Children as Children’s Services Manager.

Sarah has taken charge of the newly expanded Paediatric Services Department of The Portland which currently treats more than 40,000 children every year.

Sarah, who has a 17 year track record in paediatrics, became Imperial’s Lead Nurse in Paediatrics in 2008 with operational managerial responsibility for 180 staff and direct line management responsibility for senior nurses, clinical nurse specialists and paediatric site practitioners.

At The Portland she will oversee care for new born babies and children up to the age of 16. The Portland, the only specialist private hospital dedicated to the care of women and children in the UK, has an international reputation for its neonatal, infant and paediatric critical care capabilities and for the complex, often lifesaving medical procedures, carried out at the hospital.

Sarah explained why she left one of the top nursing jobs in the NHS to join The Portland: “I was very impressed seeing the high standard and capabilities of the medical teams based within excellent facilities. Before my first visit I really didn’t know the hospital was capable of providing such complex care. It was immediately clear that the hospital treats the full spectrum of conditions that affect children alongside some of the most complex conditions that children can endure,” she said.

“Many people would be surprised about the range of complex treatments that are available here with specialists who are at the top of their particular fields in paediatric medicine. The full range of critical care facilities, the brand new day case unit, the unique neuro rehab unit for children, all the facilities are the best available and this combination attracts the best doctors and the best nurses to practice here. I am thrilled to be joining the Portland at this time.”

Janene Madden, Chief Executive said The Portland was entering a new phase in its history: “This is our 30th anniversary year and Sarah joins us to lead Paediatric Services through a major expansion. We have added a range of new complex treatments for children and we have many of Europe’s leading paediatric consultants carrying out amazing surgery and treatments here.”

“Having the very best specialist medical teams means having the best leadership and we are delighted Sarah, one of the most experienced paediatric nurse managers in the NHS has joined us,” she said.