Neonatal paediatrics
The neonatal unit includes an experienced and established team of specialist nurses. The Whittington has a higher than average rate of high-risk pregnancies and the neonatal intensive care unit – known as NICU - provides care to sick, preterm and substance dependant newborns and their families.
The unit has six intensive care cots accepting in-utero and ex-utero referrals, five cots for high dependency and six cots for special care. In 2005, there were 488 babies treated on the unit.
The neonatal unit support the work of our maternity service. There are weekly meetings to discuss antenatal and neonatal issues and regular case discussion and presentations. There are also multidisciplinary reviews together with the child psychotherapist who has dedicated sessions in the unit. There are in-utero transfers to the unit from other hospitals.
The unit is currently the focus of a major fundraising appeal, Building for Babies, which aims to raise £3 million to move, expand and modernise the Whittington's neonatal service.
Last updated02 Nov 2006