Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU)

Babies requiring admission to SCBU include babies that are born sick, premature babies (born between 34 -37 weeks), babies who need close monitoring and babies needing investigations.

PRH is proud to be able to offer a nurse-led service, one of only two in the Country.

A team of Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioners (ANNPs), supported by two medical staff, provide a 24 hour medical service to newborns and their families. Your baby will be looked after by a highly trained specialist neonatal nurse, who will plan and assist you in caring for your baby.

The nursing ethos is very much ‘family-centered’.

SCBU offers 2 side rooms to enable parents to ‘room-in’ with their babies in preparation for discharge.

If it is anticipated that your baby will only require a short stay on SCBU, he or she will be discharged back to the Postnatal ward to rejoin Mum and be cared for in Transitional Care.

If your baby is well enough to feed, you will be encouraged to attend SCBU where the Neonatal Nurses will provide experienced support and guidance. When unavoidable separation of Mother and baby occurs, you will be encouraged, and assisted to express your breast milk, which will be given to your baby as soon as possible.

Parents may visit their baby at any time. The baby’s siblings are welcome to visit, but in the interests of infection, no other children are allowed to visit the unit.

The nursing ethos is very much family orientated.

Only parents may visit during ward rounds, to maintain confidentiality.

Several support groups have formed, over recent years, to provide support and guidance to parents of babies needing Special Care.
Most group members have also had babies admitted to a SCBU and are able to provide experienced support and help.

The Early Birth Association, a local group, have formed a Parent Forum. The Parent Forum provides support to local parents, and hold regular meetings fund raising activities.  There is also a local support group attached to Bliss (based in Hove and Peacehaven) who meet regularly and are available for help and support.