THAMES VALLEY AND WESSEX NEONATAL NETWORK

Southampton

Oxford Phone: 01865 223344 SONeT is a dedicated neonatal transfer service designed to move babies from one hospital to Neonatal another for specialised or ongoing care across

Thames Valley and Wessex Neonatal Network Hospitals in our Network SONeT operates from two hubs Transport 1) Milton Keynes University Hospital, Milton Keynes : 01908 995591 a) Oxford Hub- covering north patch 2) Oxford University Hospital, Oxford b) Hub- covering south patch : 01865 223201 3) Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury SONeT Oxford Hub : 01296 316115 Level 2, Neonatal Unit 4) Wexham Park Hospital, Slough Women Centre : 01753 634533 Oxford University Hospital, Oxford 5) Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading OX3 9DU : 0118 3227430 Email: [email protected] 6) Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital 01256 313686 7) , Portsmouth SONeT Southampton Hub 02392 283231 Transport office, 8) Princess Anne Hospital, Southampton Neonatal Intensive care Unit 02381 208164 Parent and Carers Mail Point 607 9) , Dorchester Princess Anne Hospital 01305251150 Information University Hospital Southampton 10) NHS Trust, Poole SO16 5YA 01202 442330 Leaflet Email: [email protected] 11) St Richard’s Hospital, Chichester 01243788122 12) St Mary’s Hospital, Newport, Isle of Wight This leaflet is to help you understand why your If you have any comments about the SONeT 01983524081 baby is being transferred to another hospital. It service, please talk to a member of staff or use the 13) Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust, Salisbury is also intended to give you information about feedback form that the team gives you or you can 01722425180 the Southampton Oxford Newborn Emergency email us on the above emails. 14) Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Winchester Transport (SONeT) Service. 01256313686 SONeT v1.1 Feb 2021, Review Feb 2024

Your baby’s name______Explaining the transport equipment Being with your baby during transfer The SONeT equipment provides everything needed The SONeT team (and your hospital) will tell you Date of birth______Birthweight______to transport even for the most critically ill babies. if it is possible for you or your partner to Your baby is being transferred to ______The equipment includes accompany your baby during the transfer. This Telephone ______ The incubator- a perspex enclosure around your depends on your baby’s condition, space and The transport team is______hub baby, which will keep your baby warm and safety issues. If it is possible for you to travel, Nurse______comfortable. you can bring only one small piece of hand Doctor/ANNP______ The ventilator- breathing problems are one of the luggage. Ambulance Driver______common reasons for transferring a baby. The It may be that you will have to arrange your own ventilator will help to stabilise your baby’s breathing. transport to the hospital that your baby is being  Monitors- during the transfer it is important that transferred to. SONeT team will provide you we monitor your baby’s condition continuously. We with the hospital information and take your We understand that this is an extremely stressful measure heartbeat, breathing rate, temperature and contact details. It is important that you do not time for you and we will try to help you in any way blood pressure. try to follow the ambulance- this can be we can.  Syringes for medication - Some baby’s need special dangerous. medication or intravenous fluids, the SONeT team If you are still an inpatient at the hospital where Why is my baby being transferred? can provide these when necessary. We can also your baby was born, it may be possible to be Your baby is being transferred to another hospital transfer any breast milk you have produced. transferred to the same hospital. The timing of to receive specialist care. This type of care is not Your baby is in very safe hands transfer will depend on your current condition possible where your baby is currently being cared and the transfer will be arranged by your local for. hospital. There are many reasons why a baby may require The SONeT team will let you know when they specialised care. These include prematurity, have arrived at the receiving hospital with your breathing problems, congenital abnormalities, baby. All hospitals encourage parents to problems due to difficult birth and requiring telephone and enquire about their baby. We surgery. suggest telephoning the hospital one or two hours after your baby reaches the receiving How is my baby cared for during transfer? hospital. This allows the team to give you up to The doctors at your hospital will contact the SONeT date information. transport team who will travel to the hospital in a specially equipped ambulance. The transport team Moving baby closer to home When your baby no longer requires intensive has a nurse and a doctor or advanced neonatal After the SONeT team have completed preparing nurse practitioner that are specially trained in care, the SONeT transport service will transfer your baby for transport you will be able to see your your baby back to a hospital nearer your home. caring for sick babies who are being transported. baby. The team members will explain what The team will evaluate your baby’s condition and Your local hospital will support you and your treatment your baby is receiving and answer any baby until your baby is ready to be discharged perform any procedures that are necessary to questions you might have. prepare and stabilise your baby ready for transfer. home. This will be discussed with you as well as Please don’t be scared to touch or kiss your baby. with your local doctor and hospital.