Special Care Baby Unit

Women’s Health Unit
Level 3, Yellow Zone
Torbay Hospital
Lowes Bridge
Torquay TQ2 7AA

Tel: 01803 654602 / 654605

Services

For babies who are small, premature or who need extra care or observation. Also for those who have difficulties when feeding. Located at the end of one of the postnatal wards. Mother and baby are nursed together, and the parents are encouraged to be involved in their baby’s care.

In the event of the baby being seriously ill, it may be necessary for you both to be transferred to a specialist unit, at one of the hospitals in the South West Peninsula. Once your initial problems are resolved, you will be able to return to Torbay.

Our service includes:

• Care for premature and sick babies, and their mothers.
• Breast feeding support, both within the unit and advising colleagues in the hospital and community.
• Working towards WHO/UNICEF Baby Friendly Accreditation – http://www.babyfriendly.org.uk
• Retinopathy screening, investigations of jaundice, blood tests, feeding management.
• Baby Massage – taught to mothers by qualified member of staff.

We also provide a Transitional Care package which is shared between SCBU and John MacPherson ward. This is for babies that are well but requiring extra monitoring. Mothers will be able to remain with their baby at all times.

Profile

The Special Care Baby Unit is situated on level 3 of the Maternity Unit adjacent to the Antenatal and Postnatal Wards.

Torbay is not an intensive care neonatal unit, although there is always a nurse on duty who is trained in Neonatal Intensive Care. Babies who need more support than Torbay can provide, are stabilised and transferred, usually to Exeter’s Neonatal Unit.

Further information regarding Child Health.

Virtual tour

Parents whose children are born early or need specialist care can take a virtual tour of Torbay Hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit.