Scope Of Care
- Advanced Ventilation incl. NO therapy and HFOV
- Brain Imaging
- Cardiology Clinics
- Cardiology Diagnosis
- Community Neonatal Nursing Service
- Dedicated High Risk Infant clinic
- Functional Echocardiography
- Genetics Clinic
- Neonatal Ophthalmology
- Paediatric Dermatology Clinic
- Specialist Neurodevelopmental Follow Up (BSID 3) of at risk infants & premmies <32 weeks
- Therapeutic Hypothermia
- Video EEG and aEEG facilities are available
Northern Neonatal Network Care Pathways – January 2018
North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust – University Hospital of North Tees
Scope of care
North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust provides neonatal services on its University Hospital of North Tees site in Stockton. In addition there is a Midwifery led Delivery Unit on their Hartlepool site for very low risk pregnancies managed by a team of Midwives.
The current services provided on the North Tees site are as follows :
NICU, University Hospital of North Tees
Current Unit capacity
3 Intensive Care cots.
5 High Dependency Cots.
12 Special Care/Transitional Care cots.
Annual number of deliveries
2964 (April 2016 – March 2017).
Annual number of admissions
429 (April 2016 – March 2017 figures).
Current threshold for incoming ante-natal transfers
Generally obstetricians from the seven SCBUs in the region will routinely try to transfer mothers here as one of the four receiving NICUs in the Network. We receive >27weeks gestation. This is done by direct discussion with receiving consultant obstetricians and neonatologists if a suitable Intensive care cot is available but through the dedicated regional transfer Neonatal Transfer Team (NNeTS).
Current threshold for incoming post-natal transfers
Babies >27/40 that have delivered elsewhere are routinely are transferred to North Tees for Intensive/High Dependency Care after Consultant to Consultant referral according to the appropriate Care Pathway. Accepted admissions will then be transferred from the referring hospital to North Tees, co-ordinated by the regional transfer team (NNeTS).
Other thresholds for incoming post-natal transfer
This will be discussed with North Tees clinicians and decided on a case by case basis, but examples of babies who will generally require transfer include: any baby requiring intensive or ongoing high dependency care that is outside the gestation threshold above, HIE’s needing active cooling, some surgical cases (see below), congenital/cardiac anomalies for further assessment if they do not require immediate transfer to the Sub-Regional Unit (RVI/Freeman), babies requiring ventilation or TPN. Other babies that could normally be cared for at one of the other 3 NICUs and admitted there but cannot be accommodated because of lack of a suitable NIC cot may also be transferred here.
Transfer services provided?
Currently, transfers to other neonatal Units for repatriation or continuing clinical care are undertaken by the official regional transfer team (NNeTS).
Routine investigations/tests/screening currently undertaken
ROP screening is performed on-site. Bedside echocardiography for structural screening and haemodynamic assessment and routine ultrasounds of the cranium are done on site. CT Scans and MRI (3 Tesla) scans are also routinely performed. There are paediatric radiology services available on site for case based discussion and other radiology investigations.
Other services and diagnostic facilities are listed below.
Surgical procedures undertaken and/or post-surgical care provided?
No.
Cooling for H.I.E undertaken?
Therapeutic cooling for babies with HIE is undertaken here and babies requiring this therapy can be transferred from one of the SCBUs if this is required/indicated after discussion with one of the neonatologists and subsequent transfer arranged via the Hotline with NNeTS.
T.P.N. provided on-site?
Yes.
Neonatal community outreach team/services provided?
We have two community Sisters, one covers the Stockton and the other the Hartlepool area. The also review all the NAS babies who go home on Oromorph, they hold a Synagis clinic for those babies who will be vulnerable over the winter months and they help to run the weekly High Risk Clinic for babies who are born <30 weeks or any baby who may have long term problems.
Rooming in/Transitional Care provision on-site?
For mothers who wish to stay in to look after their baby prior to being ready for discharge and also for those mothers who need parent craft or establishing breast feeding.
Babies fitting transitional care criteria are currently cared for jointly with the post natal ward and Neonatal Unit.
Research
North Tees neonatal unit is a research active unit with 1.0 WTE neonatal research nurse and a shared data assistant.
The unit is recognised for cardio-respiratory research and actively participates in a number of national, international and commercial trials.
