Great Western Hospital, Swindon

Swindon Local Neonatal Unit has 18 cots and cares for babies from 27 weeks gestation

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust,

Marlborough Road, Swindon, SN3 6BB

01793 605174

Look around Swindon Neonatal Unit

Content not to be used without permission of the SW Neonatal ODN, please contact:  swneonatalnetwork@uhbw.nhs.uk

 Information about the Neonatal Unit

  • Swindon Neonatal Unit (LNU) is located on Level 2 of the main hospital building.  From the lift, please follow the signs or the yellow line on the floor to the Neonatal Unit. 

    The unit is a secure ward so please ring the doorbell on arrival, giving us yours and your baby’s full name, and we will grant you access as soon as possible. 

  • General information about parking at the GWH can be found here: Parking | Great Western Hospital

    When arriving on the GWH site follow signs for visitor parking.  The nearest car parks are the North Car park and the West Car park.  The hospital can also be accessed by public transport.  For more transport information see this link Travelling to and from the hospital | Great Western Hospital

  • Access to the neonatal unit for parents, legal guardians and siblings is open and unrestricted; we view our families as partners in care, not visitors and encourage to be present with your baby as much as possible.  We actively encourage siblings to meet their new baby and encourage all families to be at the cot side as a family unit.

  • You are welcome to introduce your baby to your family and friends; we ask that no other children visit the unit and all visitors are illness free.  For safety reasons and noise levels we ask that there are only three adults at the cot side at any one time, we are happy to increase the number of visitors if we have the space, please speak to the nurse looking after you. Visitors will need to visit with a parent present unless otherwise documented in your baby’s care plan.

  • To help stop infections spreading, everyone coming into the neonatal unit — families, staff and visitors — must:

    • Be free of infectious illnesses such as coughs, cold and sickness and diarrhoea

    • Take off outdoor coats, these can be stored in the Parent’s kitchen

    • Wash hands with warm soapy water

    • Dry hands properly

    • Use the alcohol hand gel

    If you see anyone not doing this, including staff or visitors, please remind them.

    We also kindly ask you to wash or use hand gel again before you touch your baby.

Your Baby’s Care

  • The Neonatal Team will see your baby on the daily ward round and will meet with you regularly to discuss their progress.  Ward rounds are carried out from 09.30 and we encourage you to be present and actively involved where able. 

  • There are nursing staff present in all nurseries 24 hours a day and your baby will have a named nurse looking after them for each shift, if they are not available then please speak to any member of staff within the nursery.

    If you are unable to attend the ward round or would like more of an in-depth sit-down discussion, then please request an update from the medical team and we will do our best to arrange a mutually convenient time.

  • Please raise any concerns you may have at the earliest opportunities, to;

    • The nurse looking after your baby

    • The nurse in charge of the unit

    • The unit manager 

    • A member of the ANNP Team

    • The consultant on service

    If you are unable to resolve any concerns with one of these members of staff, then please contact the trusts Patient Advisory Liaison Service (PALS)

    Telephone: 01793 604031 (9.30-4.30 Monday-Friday)

    Email: gwh.pals@nhs.net or visit the PALS Ground Floor, GWH

  • Dr Sarah Bates and Dr Girish Gowda

  • Matron: Kathryn Owen

    Lead ANNP: Adele Farrow

    Neonatal Ward Managers: Sarah Carey and Helen Casey

    Transitional Care Ward Manager: Natalie Emery

Facilities

  • There are 2 double bedrooms and 1 single bedroom on the Neonatal Unit, these are available for parents to stay, these are prioritised for families preparing to go home or for families who may have a particularly unwell baby. The double bedroom shares a bathroom, the single room has an en-suite. 

  • There is a parent kitchen on the unit for all families to use.  This has a fridge, kettle and microwave, we also provide tea, coffee and milk.  There is some food provided for families from charities and the unit provides a snack pack daily. 

    There are expressing rooms for those who prefer to express in private as well as sofa areas with a small area for children to play.

  • We offer the following for our families:

    • Unrestricted access for parents and siblings

    • Quiet areas

    • Tea and coffee making facilities

    • vCreate (Secure Video Messaging service)

    • Free and discounted parking

    • Snack pack and 20% off restaurant vouchers

  • We have multiple electric bust pumps to use at your baby’s bed side, both Ardo and Medela to chose from.  If you prefer to express in private we have two cubicles with pumps available. 

    In the milk kitchen, we have an area for washing and sterilising all breast pump equipment and bottle. 

    We are able to provide portable Ardo breast pumps with all the equipment you may need to successfully express milk for your baby for the duration of your stay on the Neonatal Unit.

    If you need further support with expressing, breast of bottle feeding, speak to the nurse looking after you who will be able to help.  We have a team of Infant Feeding Specialists as well as Speech Language therapists who can offer more in depth support. 

  • Siblings have access to a small play area alcove as well as a small outside play area. There is also a table and chairs that can be brought to your baby’s cotside for drawing and play.

Hospital information