A NURSE is attempting to sugar the pill for children admitted to hospital - by producing an entertaining information booklet.

"Admission to hospital can be a frightening time for children and their families. Lots of questions are asked and it's our job to give appropriate information to try and reassure them,'' said nursing sister Pippa Smith, who produced the pamphlet aimed specifically at children aged two to ten, in collaboration with illustrator Sheila Graber.

"While the children's services provide a variety of information for parents and adolescents there was nothing specifically designed for children aged two to ten," said Sister Smith, who has produced the information booklet for the children's wards at The James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough.

As well as working closely with parents and patients on the ward, she went into local schools to find out children's perceptions of life in a hospital.

Ms Graber based the book's design on a mixture of photographs, cartoons and drawings from patients and pupils from Normanby Primary School. She said: "Along with our own drawings we added many done by the children. Pippa and the staff wanted an engaging but clear booklet to show how non-threatening and welcoming hospital really is.''

The collaboration was part of the trust's healing arts initiative funded by the Regional Arts Lottery Programme.