St Helier Hospital

St Helier Hospital
Wrythe Lane
Carshalton
Surrey
SM5 1AA

Tel: 020 8296 2000

http://www.epsom-sthelier.nhs.uk/

To view Maternity Information please click here

To view the Parent Information Leaflet for parents and families of sick, newborn and premature babies cared for in a South West London Hospital, please click on the icon to the right of this page. This leaflet will help provide you with information specific to the unit your baby is in, such as visiting times, facilities, access to interpreters, ward round times, midwifery care, going home etc.

St Helier Hospital runs as a Local Neonatal Unit (LNU).  LNUs provide neonatal care for their own catchment population, except the sickest babies. They provide all categories of neonatal care, but they transfer babies who require complex or longer-term Intensive Care. The majority of babies over 27 weeks gestation will usually receive their full care, including short periods of Intensive Care, within their LNU. Some LNUs provide High Dependency Care and short periods of Intensive Care for their network population. LNUs may receive transfers from other neonatal services in the network.  

The neonatal unit at St Helier Hospital handles a range of premature births from as early as 26 weeks or low birth weights from 500g. Earlier and lighter deliveries are transferred to St George's Hospital in Tooting as part of a network policy to ensure the best treatment for your baby.

St Helier Hospital's neonatal unit offers the following services 24 hours a day:

• Artificial ventilation: to support breathing in the event of under-developed lungs or inadequate effort
• Cardiac services: Facilities for cardiac assessment include cardiac monitoring and Echocardiogram, with support from visiting doctors from the Royal Brompton Hospital
• Neurology services: facilities for advanced investigations and monitoring of brain function including neonatal EEG, brain ultrasound and Cerebral Function Monitoring (endorsed by excellent links with the Hammersmith Hospital team)
• Neonatal surgery: in the rare event of surgical intervention, there are close links with paediatric surgical services at St George's Hospital. Babies are stabilised at St Helier Hospital prior to transfer to the specialist surgical unit
• Nutrition: nutritional support of pre-term and low birth-weight babies. This includes enteral (via mouth) and total parental nutrition (not by mouth) with specialist (dietician and pharmacy) support
• Metabolism: St Helier Hospital is the regional centre for national newborn screening program. We have facilities to investigate and manage complex conditions that may be identified through the program in the new born period
• Haematology: excellent laboratory and blood bank facilities to support the needs of newborns in intensive care
• Specialist Paediatric Orthopaedic Consultants: are available to manage muscular/skeletal problems with early support from physiotherapists and occupational therapists
• Renal service: local expertise within the team and close links with the Evelina Children's Hospital for those babies with underlying kidney disorders
• Paediatric radiology: local expertise in a well functioning department providing specialist imaging for children
• Pharmacy: there is a dedicated children's pharmacist who oversees drug prescribing and administration of total parenteral nutrition
• Community paediatricians: who provide a seamless service of care for newborns once discharged from the hospital, especially those with complex needs
• Homecare team of specialist nurses: to support families following discharged.

The unit holds eight cots and babies are cared for by a minimum of two nurses per shift.

A counselling service is available to parents and families of sick babies. A parent’s support group and the Trust’s chaplins are also available to offer emotional support.

The unit offers overnight accommodation for the parent’s of particularly sick children.

A playroom, kitchen facilities and a television make the ward a comfortable place for families to be.

The close-knit team of staff work closely with families to help them through what can often be a distressing time.

A vast amount of specially made equipment is frequently in use in the neonatal department, and new, up-to-date equipment is often introduced to the ward.

The care of the neonatologist continues through childhood if necessary - it doesn't stop once they're no longer babies!

GETTING TO ST HELIER HOSPITAL

For information on how to get to St Helier Hospital using the Underground, Rail, Bus services and by car please click on the link below.

Travelling to St Helier Hospital

The above link will also provide you with car parking information, a hospital site map, ward information and much more.