A NEW service at Oxford Children’s Hospital which helps children with spina bifida has been officially launched after a successful trial.

The clinic is described as a one stop shop and means young people suffering from the condition need only visit hospital for one check-up a year, rather than 12.

It is believed to be the only service of its kind in the country and has been praised by parents for making life easier for them and their children.

Spina bifida is a spinal problem where one or more vertebrae fail to form properly, leaving a gap or split which causes damage to the central nervous system and sometimes the spinal cord itself.

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The Godfrey family from Wheatley travel to the hospital on the John Radcliffe site in Headington with their five-year-old daughter Kayleigh, who suffers from the condition.

Mum Claire said: “Kayleigh absolutely loves going to school and so reducing the number of times we have to come to the hospital means she doesn’t have to miss as much.

“We travel by bus to the hospital so it’s not always easy, and although the clinic is a longer appointment it makes such a difference to be able to see all her doctors in one day.”

The clinic combines services children need such as neurosurgery, physiotherapy and diagnostics tests.

It was trialled for a year from November 2013 and has now been approved as a permanent service.

It also caters for children from Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire and Wiltshire, and more than 120 attended in the trial year.

Ms Godfrey said: “We’ve found it completely inspiring to meet other families and children in similar situations to us. It’s good that Kayleigh can meet other children with her condition.

It’s also been brilliant for us as we’ve been able to talk to other parents and share our experience, which has been a great support.

“All the staff at the clinic have been fantastic.”

A member of charity Shine, which supports people with spina bifida and their families, attends every clinic to see patients have the support they need.

Advanced nurse practitioner for paediatric urology Angela Downer works with children with spina bifida who have problems with their bowels and bladder.

She said: “We affectionately call this the MOT clinic.”