Special Care Baby Unit

The Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) is a 35 bed unit caring for babies needing short and long term observation and specialised (level 2B) care born at the WCH, born elsewhere in South Australia, the Northern Territory, western Victoria and the far west of New South Wales.

SCBU also provides a Neonatal Early Discharge (NED) program. This allows some babies to go home early on gavage (tube) feeds. Your baby's care is continued in the comfort of your own home with regular visits from experienced SCBU midwives.

Information for Families

A multidisciplinary team provides care in SCBU. These babies are usually born ill and/or prematurely. The unit supports and actively encourages the transfer of babies to their local hospital once they no longer need specialised care.

Parents and caregivers

We welcome the involvement of parents and caregivers while babies are in SCBU. Our care is family-centred, meeting the physical, emotional, social, cultural, and spiritual needs of the family.

Adjacent to SCBU is a Parenting Unit which provides education and support for parents and families and overnight accommodation prior to your baby going home. A waiting room is located near the nursery entrance.

Please let the midwife/nurse caring for your baby know if you leave the nursery in case we need to contact you. 

For safety reasons do not bring food or drinks into the nursery.

Accommodation is available within the hospital grounds at a nominal charge.  Nearby hotel or motel accommodation is also available.

The Butterfly Card scheme assists families where babies are admitted to hospital for an anticipated period of more than a week or who have frequent admissions or outpatient/day therapy appointments.

Please ask the midwife/nurse who is caring for your baby if you wish to see a social worker, interpreter or minister of religion.

Caring for your baby

The unit is staffed by registered midwives and enrolled/mothercraft nurses. The majority of nursing/midwifery staff in the unit are registered midwives, many of whom have a neonatal certificate.

A home visiting service is provided by experienced midwives from SCBU for parents and babies who live within 20 km of the WCH. Referrals to other support agencies such as Child and Youth Health, Parenting Network are also offered.

Services and facilities

Meals for parents and caregivers are available from the cafe.

Mobile phones interfere with sensitive medical equipment and must not be used in the Nursery. Pay phones are located around the hospital.

Car parking is available on or near the hospital grounds. 

Visiting

Parents and siblings of SCBU babies may visit at any time however, to meet confidentiality requirements, the unit is usually closed during ward rounds and staff handovers.

Parents decide who may visit their baby.   It is important that all visitors wash their hands on entering and leaving the unit.  People who are unwell must not visit the Nursery.

You may wish to make arrangements for other siblings to be cared for while you are visiting. Siblings may be cared for in the WCH creche .

Research Activity

The WCH has an ongoing commitment to research and evidence based practice. Many research activities are conducted with support from the neonatal staff.

Hours

24 hours

Contact Information

Unit Head

Midwifery Unit Head
Julie Rundell

Location

3rd Floor, Queen Victoria Building

Mailing Address

Special Care Baby Unit
Women's and Children's Hospital
72 King William Road
North Adelaide 
South Australia 5006

Phone/Fax/Email

Ph (08) 81617848

Fax (08) 81617835

Email cywhs.rundellj@cywhs.sa.gov.au

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