Newcastle: Getting babies home sooner

John Hunter Children’s Hospital is excited to announce that earlier this year, the Neonatal Stable Early Transfer Home (Neo-SETH) program was officially launched.

Neo-SETH is a transfer home program for babies from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). It provides a home visiting support service for families of infants who no longer need intensive medical and nursing treatment but still require some supportive nursing care, such as nasogastric tube feeds, while they are transitioning to full-sucking feeds or jaundice treatment. These babies may be transferred home early, with parents providing care with the support of a visiting neonatal nurse until they are ready to be discharged at around one to four weeks.

Pippa was born at 33 weeks gestation and had to spend 22 days being cared for in NICU and was one of the first patients to go home on the Neo-SETH program. The program allowed Stacey and Bobby, her mum and dad, to have the confidence to give tube feeds in the comfort of their own home, and after three days, Pippa was discharged from NICU care.

“We absolutely loved the service and felt very confident with the education we received before going home. It was so special getting to take Pippa home earlier than expected,” said Stacey.

The implementation of Neo-SETH was only possible due to the partnership between John Hunter Children’s Hospital, Curing Homesickness and Coles.