South East Neonatal - Our Work
Time = Brain
Time=Brain is a regional Neonatal Therapeutic Hypothermia project devised and led by Dr. Peter Reynolds and supported by South East Neonatal Network and the Maternity, Children & Young People’s Strategic Clinical Network.
The South East Neonatal Network (SENN) Time=Brain project aims to enhance the protection of babies’ brains when there is evidence of moderate or severe encephalopathy through optimising the use of therapeutic hypothermia (cooling).
There are four key aims to this project:
- To ensure that the decision to cool babies is consistently applied across the SEC region
- To achieve the target temperature range safely & promptly, avoiding under- or over- cooling
- To achieve the target temperature (33-34°C) within 6 hours of birth (or postnatal collapse event)
- To maintain the target temperature during handover and transport of babies
The key message for Time=Brain is that there is sufficient time to examine and document the baby’s neurology, diagnose the Grade of Encephalopathy and start servo-controlled cooling for moderate and severe grades, to reach the target temperature within 6 hours of birth according to NICE Guidelines.
NICHD Scoring for HIE
The NICHD chart (downloadable/printable below) should be used to guide clinicians as to when to commence cooling. This replaces the previously used Thompson/BadgerNet scoring. The criteria for babies being at particular risk of HIE has not changed. We continue to encourage clinicians to take time to evaluate the baby on the neonatal unit, with repeated clinical examinations, use of CFM where available, and discussion with a senior clinician at the local NICU, before initiation of cooling. Starting cooling on delivery suite is not recommended.
In line with current NICE guidance, we aim for babies to be at the target temperature of 33-34 degrees C. The use of servo-controlled cooling devices will normally achieve this within an hour of commencing cooling.
South East Neonatal - Our Work
Our Units
South East Neonatal Network covers Kent, Surrey & Sussex; there are 11 Acute Trusts and 13 units in the Network. Two acute Trusts straddle the borders with Thames Valley & Wessex Neonatal Network, we work collaboratively to ensure that patient flows are appropriate for the level of care required.
South East Neonatal Network consists of 4 Neonatal Intensive Care Units, 3 Local Neonatal Units and 6 Special Care Units. South East Coast Neonatal Transfer Service operates across the Network, undertaking both emergency retrievals and repatriation back to local units.
Hospital | Contacts | |
Medway Maritime Hospital
Medway NICU |
Lead Clinician: | Dr Aung Soe |
Ward Manager: | Anna Francis | |
Darent Valley Hospital
Dartford Special Care Baby Unit (Walnut Ward) SCU |
Lead Clinician: | Dr Abdul Hasib |
Ward Manager: | Annette Pope/Kathy Wood | |
Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital
Margate SCU |
Lead Clinician: | Dr Kalu Ogbureke |
Ward Manager: | Louise Ruiz | |
William Harvey Hospital
Ashford NICU |
Lead Clinician: | Dr Vimal Vasu |
Ward Manager: | Louise Ruiz | |
The Tunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury
LNU |
Lead Clinician: | Dr Hamudi Kisat |
Ward Manager: | Julia Moat & Lou Mair | |
Royal Sussex County Hospital,
Brighton NICU |
Lead Clinician: | Dr Phil Amess |
Ward Manager: | Julia Simpson | |
Conquest Hospital,
St Leonards on Sea SCU |
Lead Clinician: | Dr Mani Kandasamy |
Ward Manager: | Wendy Thompsett | |
Princess Royal Hospital
Haywards Heath SCU |
As for Royal Sussex | |
St Peters Hospital,
Chertsey NICU |
Lead Clinician: | Dr Peter Martin |
Ward Manager: | Sara Robertson | |
East Surrey Hospital
Redhill LNU |
Lead Clinician: | Dr Abdul Khader |
Ward Manager: | Ingrid Marsden | |
Frimley Park Hospital
Frimley LNU |
Lead Clinician: | Dr Sanjay Jaiswal |
Ward Manager: | Jennifer Lomas | |
Royal Surrey County Hospital
Guildford SCU |
Lead Clinician: | Dr Michael Hardo |
Ward Manager: | Geizel Pulanco | |
Worthing Hospital
Worthing Beeding Ward SCU |
Lead Clinician: | Dr Katia Vamvakiti |
Ward Manager | Abi Seal |
South East Neonatal - Our Work
South East Neonatal Transfer Service
The Kent, Surrey and Sussex Neonatal Transfer Services is comprised of three separate teams which operate to cover the entire region and offers a comprehensive planned and unplanned neonatal transfer service. This enables the movement of critically ill patients 24 hours a day, 7 days a week across the region and the elective transfer of less unwell infants.
Kent, Surrey & Sussex Neonatal Transfer Service is part of the London, Kent, Surrey and Sussex Neonatal Transport Service coordinated through the Emergency Bed Service. During the daytime two teams operate over the three regions between 08:00 – 20:00 for planned and unplanned transfers. From 20:00 – 08:00 one of the three teams offers the night cover for the region on a rotational basis.
Trevor Mann Baby Unit at Royal Sussex County Hospital
Oliver Fisher Special Care Baby Unit at Medway Maritime Hospital
Neonatal Unit at St. Peter’s Hospital