Support after discharge: Neonatal Community Outreach Team
Neonatal Community Outreach Team
The Neonatal Community Outreach Team (NCOT) is split over two hospital sites – Chelsea & Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex Hospital – each hospital has their own NCOT, led by one Senior Neonatal Sister, who works cross-site.
Each member of the team is a Registered Nurse who has many years of experience in Neonatal Nursing. Our role is to make sure you feel well supported upon discharge and once your baby is at home.
Lead Nurse
- Claire Salgin
Chelsea and Westminster team
- Juliet Tyler
- Andrea Sanchez-Sawicka
- Isabel Loyola
West Middlesex team
- Jamila Manna
- Jennifer Maestrado
Both teams currently work 7 days a week, 9am–5pm.
Contact details
Chelsea and Westminster team
T: 020 3315 7882
M: 07833 285 833
West Middlesex team
M: 07585 128 598
The community team will offer support whilst you are on the unit and will offer teaching/advice on parent-craft and Basic Life Support. If you want to talk about anything to do with the process of your baby being discharged and what will happen leading up to it then they will come and see you to answer any questions and support you.
They support babies at home who require oxygen, weight management and nasogastric tube feeding.
You will be contacted by telephone within a few days of discharge to see how baby is settling at home. This gives you the opportunity to ask any initial questions that you may have. The team will continue to call regularly depending on your baby’s age, gestation and progress.
They also offer home visits, if required, to provide additional support. Your baby will be discharged from the community team usually within 4 weeks of being at home, and will then continue under the care of your health visitor.
Due to the vast area of Greater London, home visits will only be offered to those living in the local area of each hospital. If you are from outside of the local area, you will be supported by telephone consultation. If home visits would be potentially beneficial to you and your baby, we will discuss transfer/handover of care to your local hospital so full neonatal community support can be achieved.
Community midwife
If your baby has left the unit before 10 days of age you will be visited by your community midwife. They will weigh your baby and give advice on feeding, as well as checking up on how you are too.
Health visitor
Your community midwife will then hand over care to your health visitor who will carry out a first home visit. During this visit they will offer you advice and support on caring for your baby. Inform you of local baby clinics where you can go to get your baby weighed and local Children’s Centres who offer support groups. They will also offer advice on looking after yourself and how to get additional help if needed.
Your health visitor will make a plan with you if your baby is still small or premature to either visit more frequently or request for you to visit the baby clinic for check-ups.
You must register your baby with your GP as soon as possible
They will be your first point of contact for medical care; they carry out a 6-8 week post-natal check for you and your baby. If your baby was premature it may be carried out at a later time. We will send your GP a copy of your baby’s discharge summary which will inform them of any medications or specialist milk your baby may need. Please contact them to arrange any repeat prescriptions.
If you are concerned about your baby out of hours, please call 111, or call 999 if it is an emergency.
Follow-ups after discharge
Some babies might require a Paediatric Consultant appointment or other follow up tests or exams. You will be informed prior to, or on the day of discharge if there are any appointments scheduled for your baby. Otherwise, they will be arranged by post or by telephone call.
Should you have any queries with regard to your baby’s appointment, please telephone the number on your appointment letter or alternatively call Paediatric Outpatients on 020 3315 6666. We are unable to reschedule appointments for you.