Special Care Baby Unit
Our Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) is a small, busy, friendly unit located opposite the Maternity Unit in East Wing, Level 2.
There are approximately 250 babies admitted to us each year. The babies we care for are either premature (from approximately 32 weeks onwards) or unwell. Only under exceptional circumstances do we admit babies who have already been home.
Parents of babies on SCBU are entitled to parking concessions. More information about concessions is available on our parking page here.
We have a Family Integrated Care ethos on the neonatal unit. This means that we recognise that being a family and bonding with your baby is really important. Whilst your baby needs expert nursing and medical care, parents also have a vital role to play. We have put lots of things in place to enable you to spend as much time as you want on the unit and our team will support you to be fully involved in the care of your baby.
Further information about the unit can be found on our Padlet webpage.
Visiting guidance
Parents and carers are welcome to stay on the unit 24 hours a day. Siblings are welcome between 8am and 8pm. All other visitors (over 16 only) are welcome to join their parents and carers between 2pm and 7pm.
Read more about our visiting guidance here.
Take a virtual tour of our unit
Thanks to the Neonatal Network, you can take a virtual tour around our unit. You can either self-navigate or click on the play button for a 3D tour experience.
The interactive tool provides parents with the chance virtually walk around the unit to understand what to expect if their baby needs to be admitted. It explains how the unit will look, feel and sound, as well as providing further information on equipment facilities and links to other resources such as videos and websites.
If you are a parent or carer and wish to use the virtual tours to explore the unit where your baby was cared for, please make sure you are in a safe space and feel emotionally ready to revisit the unit. Some parents have told us that revisiting the unit, even years down the line, can bring back emotional memories, so please take care.
If you have any questions about the tour, speak to a member of staff.