University Hospital Southampton unveils £10m state-of-the-art special care baby unit
University Hospital Southampton (UHS) has unveiled a new state-of-the-art special care baby unit (SCBU), designed to increase capacity and offer enhanced specialist care for some of the region's sickest babies.
The purpose-built expansion represents a major advancement in neonatal care, focusing on the needs of babies and their families by providing family-centred care from the very first day of their admission.
Located at the Princess Anne Hospital (PAH), part of UHS, the much-needed expansion increases the total neonatal service capacity by five. The new SCBU, known as Woodlands Ward, now occupies more space and allows parents to stay overnight with their babies in comfortable surroundings.
Previously SCBU was located in one room within the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) but now has its own dedicated space in the floor above with 12 cot spaces across three rooms as well as four family integrated care (FIC) rooms for parents to stay with their babies while they transition towards going home.
The unit is designed to care for babies born at greater than 32 weeks gestation and weighing at least 1.5kg, serving as a step down from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). It will also accommodate babies born extremely prematurely (from 22 weeks gestation) and those admitted directly from maternity services.
Southampton’s neonatal service is one of the largest in the country treating around 900 babies a year and looking after babies from across the south and the Channel Islands. The unit also take babies from other parts of the country for specialised care when needed.
The project, a decade in the making, commenced in late July and took just four months to complete. It was officially handed over to the clinical team in early November.
One family who have benefited from the new unit is that of baby Willis Wilton, who was born at 28 weeks after his mum went into spontaneous labour. When he was admitted NICU he required respiratory support, which was gradually weaned as his condition improved.
Willis’ mum, 31-year-old Chloe Dawkins from Southampton, said: "It was a bit of a shock when I went into labour so early, and it was obviously a very worrying time not knowing what the outcome would be for Willis. We’ve had a few ups and downs, but the staff here have been nothing short of amazing, both in the care they provide and the support they give to families like us.
“Willis has been on quite a journey through the neonatal unit but is now doing really well. We were so happy when he “graduated” to the special care ward, as we knew that was a sign he was getting better and closer to coming home.
“The new ward is such a lovely space and has a real home-from-home feel about it. That will make such a big difference to families like us. It has a very calming and peaceful atmosphere, and although it is clinical, it feels homely enough to help you feel more relaxed.”
She added: “We feel very fortunate to have such a wonderful hospital on our doorstep with the most amazing and dedicated staff to help see you through difficult times."
Willis is currently 70 days old meaning his corrected gestational age is now 38 weeks (as of 5 December). He can now maintain his own body temperature and be nursed in a cot.
Amanda Gorse, senior sister on Woodlands Ward, said: “This new unit is going to be transformative for our neonatal service. Not only does it look lovely, but it also provides families with an environment that empowers them to be an integral part of their baby's care.
“This will help them gain the confidence they need as they prepare to take their babies home, which can often be quite daunting – especially for families who have been on the unit for a long time, sometimes up to and over 100 days.'"
The new build, funded by the Trust, has created space to expand the current NICU, which is the next phase of the project and is due to be operational by May 2025. This expansion will include a state-of-the-art assessment room that will also function as a mini-theatre, enabling surgeries on critically ill neonates without the added risk of needing to transfer them to the general hospital.
Victor Taylor, lead matron for the neonatal service at PAH, has been an integral part of the project team behind the build which has also included valuable input from staff who will be working in the new space. He said: "We are absolutely delighted the new facility is finally open which has been years in the making and has had a lot of love poured into it.
“Woodlands Ward marks a substantial improvement in family care areas, supporting parents to stay with their babies and take a more active role in their care, with the support of our dedicated nursing staff.
“We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all those who have made this possible including Southampton Hospitals Charity who funded the bedside recliner chairs for parents, soft furnishings and TVs, as well as the colourful and bright artwork throughout the ward, Ickle Pickles Children’s Charity who kitted out the FIC rooms and kitchen and Signs Direct for the beautiful signage that will help everyone navigate their way around the ward.
“We are also immensely grateful for the dedication and hard work of the estates team at UHS, they have championed this project from day one and have worked tirelessly to get us to this point. Additionally, we extend our thanks to LST Projects, who have delivered the build in super quick time taking our vision and creating this magnificent space."