The neonatal unit sits within the division of Women’s Health and Paediatrics, and we have close links with our maternity colleagues to provide a perinatal service for families; from conception to birth and beyond
- Divisional Leadership
- Leads for the Neonatal Unit
- Consultants
- Sisters
- Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioners
- The NICU Therapies Team
- Neonatal Community Outreach Team (NCOT)
- Spiritual Support
- Parent Support on the Neonatal Unit at St Peter’s Hospital
- Other Staff
Divisional Leadership
| Interim Divisional Director | Mr Faris Zakaria |
| Director of Midwifery | Dr Benedicta Agbagwara-Osuji |
| Divisional Chief Nurse - Paediatrics and Neonates | Tania Haughton |
| Associate Director of Operations | Riyadh Seeboa |
Leads for the Neonatal Unit
| Clinical Lead | Dr Vennila Ponnusamy |
| Matron | Sara Jane Wye |
The medical care for your baby will be supervised by one of our Consultant Neonatologists. Neonatology is a subspecialty of paediatrics that consists of the medical care of newborn infants, especially the ill or premature newborn.
Consultants
- Dr Saer Almeree (Paediatrician with expertise in Cardiology, Guidelines lead)
- Dr Anne Beh (Neonatal Safety Champion and Airway lead)
- Dr Sherif Dabbour (Deputy College Tutor and Quality Improvement lead)
- Dr Elizabeth (Daisy) Dunn (FiCare and Perinatal Optimisation lead)
- Dr Samantha Edwards
- Dr Mohamed Hafez (Neonatal Well-being Champion)
- Dr Ebtehal Hamed (Neonatal Community Outreach Team lead)
- Dr Tracy Lawson (Clinical Governance lead)
- Dr Jennifer McGrath (Mortality/Bereavement Lead and Fetal Medicine lead)
- Dr Edit Molnar (Neurodevelopment lead)
- Dr Tosin Otunla (Paediatrician with expertise in Cardiology)
- Dr Vennila Ponnusamy (Specialty and NNRD/NNAP Lead, LR charity Fund Chair)
- Dr Peter Reynolds (Research lead, Clinical lead (Joint) South East Neonatal Network)
- Dr Aarti Verma (Surrey Neonatal transport Service lead)
Your baby’s named consultant will be the doctor attending in NICU at the time of your admission. He or she will be responsible for the overall medical care of your baby including follow up after discharge when it is needed. The consultants work in rotation to be the attending consultant maximum of a week at a time. The consultants work as a close team to ensure continuity of care for your baby.
Your baby may be admitted in different rooms as per their clinical needs and there will be consultant oversight for all areas of the neonatal service. We would very much like the parents to be present in the morning ward rounds with the clinical team, which usually takes place from 09.30 - 12.00hrs in all areas.
All of the neonatologists are supported by a team of doctors including an Associate Specialist, Specialist registrars, Clinical Fellows, Senior House Officers (SHO's), Foundation Doctors and Advanced Neonatal Nurses Practitioners who provide the daily medical care. We are a recognised training unit for medical and nursing students, Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioners; junior doctors in paediatric postgraduate training, and higher specialist training in neonatology.
Sisters
- Alice D'Souza
- Eunice Fashina
- Maria Jose-Beale
- Celia Low
- Erica Marques
- Sophie Maxwell
- Sarah Ord
- Reena Patel
- Helen Reid
- Debbie Smith
Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioners
- Gemma Finch
- Emily Kemmish
- Stephanie Osler
- Amy Smith
- Vanessa Sturt
Our matron, with the support of her senior sisters, leads a large team of specially trained neonatal nurses and nursery nurses caring for your baby 24 hours a day. The nurse in charge each shifts wears a large yellow badge. If you have any concerns please bring them to the attention of the nurse in charge or alternately please contact the matron.
Your baby's nurse will change depending on shift patterns and your baby's needs. The allocated nurse will introduce herself each day. She will be able to fully update you when you visit and answer any questions you may have.
The NICU Therapies Team
We work as part of the multidisciplinary team to support your baby’s development in the Neonatal Unit. We will do our best to introduce ourselves to you while you are with us, but here are our details so you know who we are, and how best to get in touch with us if you’d like to speak to us.
Physiotherapy
We provide early assessment and advice for you about your baby’s development, behaviour, movement and environment on the unit and in the long term. We provide advice and support on how you can help your baby day to day through kangaroo care, touch, adapting the environment and positioning. As you baby gets older we will support you and your baby with developmental care plans and play ideas that are appropriate for their age as he or she grows. We offer specific play ideas and exercises if indicated for you baby. We can offer a management plan for any baby who may benefit from a respiratory physiotherapy intervention.
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Charlotte Bray |
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Georgina Wickes |
Dieticians
My focus is to ensure that the nutritional needs of your baby are met during this important stage when growth is fastest and needs are greatest. My role is to develop a nutritional care plan that takes into consideration their nutritional requirements, the breast milk or formula they are receiving , any medications being given and any other their nutritional needs. I provide advice about growth and all aspects of infant feeding. When your baby is ready to move from tube feeding I will advise and support you to succeed with your choice of breastfeeding or bottle feeding with the necessary supplements to support your baby’s growth and development.
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Catherine Casewell |
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Michaela Smith |
Occupational Therapy
My role is to support the occupations of both your baby and you as parents, the meaningful activities you do together, such as feeding, sleep, play and bonding. I assess your baby's sensory environment, looking at light, noise, handling and positioning, and help adapt this to provide the 'just right' level of stimulation for their development. I also support you in understanding your baby's cues and behaviour, helping you respond in ways that support sleep, attachment and learning. Together, we can look at positive touch, soothing strategies and equipment to support your baby's regulation, with the aim of improving outcomes for both you and your baby and reducing stress for the whole family.
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Natasha Stone |
Speech and Language
When I meet your baby I assess their sucking and swallowing and look to see if your baby is showing signs of ‘readiness’ to feed. If it is too soon for oral feeding, I can provide advice on positive touch and non-nutritive sucking opportunities, which will help your baby move on to oral feeding when he or she is ready. If your baby is already feeding orally but finding it a challenge, I will assess them and provide strategies to help them feed more successfully. I can advise on weaning onto solids when your baby is ready to do this. I also love to support parents get to know their babies and can provide activities that support their communication development
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Gemma Borkowski |
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Nick Condé |
Neonatal Community Outreach Team (NCOT)
The Neonatal Community Outreach Team (NCOT) is made up of a team of experienced nurses and nursery nurses who are here to support you and your baby as you prepare to leave the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). You’ll see us around the unit in our pink uniforms, and we’re always happy to stop and chat.
Once you're home, our support continues. We usually visit once a week to check your baby’s weight, help with feeding, answer any questions you may have, and offer reassurance during this big transition. If your baby needs a little extra help - such as home oxygen or nasogastric tube feeding - we’ll visit you and guide you through everything so you feel confident and supported.
If your baby needs longer-term community care, we’ll work closely with you to smoothly hand over their care to the Children’s Community Nurses (CCNs), who will continue to look after your baby’s ongoing needs.
08:00 - 18:00 Monday to Friday:
- 01932 723674
- 07879 425140
Spiritual Support
A Chaplin is normally available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Our unit Chaplain visits weekly and is available for emotional support regardless of religion. If you wish to have a visit from your own Priest or faith leader and you do not have contact details please let the hospital Chaplin know. Our chaplains can get in touch with your local faith representative for you
At St. Peter’s we have a Multi-Faith Centre, which is open to everyone, is on Level 3 by the Duchess of Kent entrance. The Centre is open from 8.00am - 6.00pm each day. Security staff will unlock it at other times if needed. The Centre includes a Chapel, a Multi-Faith Prayer Room, a Quiet Room and an Ablutions Room for the use before prayer of those whose practice it is to observe ritual washing.
- Chaplin - 01932 723324
Parent Support on the Neonatal Unit at St Peter’s Hospital
Most parents describe a feeling of their world having been turned upside down when their baby is admitted to NICU. This journey is likely to be like no other you will have experienced, and of course your baby needs you above everything. You may find that speaking to your baby about all that is going on may help him or her to cope better with what is happening. This might seem extraordinary that one so young can be helped by talking. It may also help you and your partner, or those closest to you to talk together about what is happening. The unit offers emotional support to parents.
| Fiona England Family Care Coordinator |
Available to offer support and is based on NICU Monday to Thursday. |
| Dr Louise O'Dwyer Child Psychotherapist |
Available to offer support on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and Wednesdays until 4.30pm. |
| Vikki German Family Support Worker * |
Available to offer support on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. |
To contact, please speak with your baby’s nurse or the nurse in charge.
* You can find out more about Vikki's role as a Family Support Worker on the Shooting Star Children’s Hospices website.
Other Staff
You may meet other members of the Neonatal Team who include:
- Birth reflections counsellor
- Little Roo Charity team
- Neonatal Equipment Engineers
- Neonatal Receptionist
- Neonatal Transport Personnel
- Neonatal Unit Housekeeping Team
- Ophthalmologist
- Paediatric Pharmacist
- Perinatal midwife
- Radiographer
- Radiologist
- Research Team
- Safeguarding midwife
- Ward Assistants
