Newborn babies diagnosed with jaundice in Scotland can now receive vital treatment from the comfort of their own homes, thanks to an innovative “hospital at home” service launched by the nation’s largest health board.
This new program allows infants who meet specific clinical criteria to undergo phototherapy, delivered by a special sleeping bag-style garment that emits therapeutic light, without having to return to the hospital.
About 1 in 10 newborns are affected by neonatal jaundice, which usually requires several days of treatment. Traditionally, this meant disruptive hospitalizations for mothers and babies as they settled into routines at home, a challenge now alleviated by this new home care option.
A hospital home service, launched by the Neonatal Unit at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow, means that babies can now be treated safely and comfortably in their own surroundings.
Alicia Hardy, whose daughter Cora Donohue was born three weeks early on Christmas Eve, is a mum who welcomed the service alongside her partner Mark Donohue.
Cora was born three weeks early on Christmas Eve (Alicia Hardy/PA Wire)
Miss Hardy, from Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire, said: “I had a baby at the Royal Alexandra Hospital and lost a lot of blood, so I had to stay a few days later.
“We were all ready to pack-up and go home when Cora’s blood tests showed she needed mild therapy for jaundice. At the time, we didn’t know home services existed at the hospital, so we stayed a few more days.
“We finally got home on December 30th, but Cora’s next blood test showed her jaundice level was still high, and she needed a light again, so we went back to the hospital. During that stay, the team told us about the home equipment at the hospital.
“Within two hours of learning about it, Senior Nurse Kerry was giving us everything we needed.
“After an early birth and back and forth for blood tests, it was just what we needed. We could finally relax at home and start our new life together.
“Kerry was very helpful, and the equipment was incredibly easy to use. After just two days of using the suit at home, Cora passed her blood test and she’s doing great now.”
As part of the service, a neonatal senior nurse visits each family at home every day to check the newborn’s bilirubin levels, assess progress, and determine whether treatment should be continued.
If families have any questions at other times, someone is available by phone.
The service started working from last November 24th and till January 8th, 40 people have been treated for jaundice at home.
The dedicated team delivering the initiative includes four neonatal hospital senior home nurses, four consultants and a service improvement manager.
They currently have six units and the treatment duration varies from two to eight days, but depends on the individual results of each child.
Cora Donohue with household appliances at the hospital (Alicia Hardy/PA Wire)
Keighley Cunningham, Senior Home Nurse at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) Neonatal Hospital, said: “Hospital at home helps us to treat babies who develop symptoms of jaundice within 72 hours of birth, as this can often happen.
“If the mother and baby have already gone home, they traditionally have to return for a hospital stay.
“It can be frustrating when families are just starting to settle into a home.”
The program was designed and developed by the hospital’s neonatal team after a successful three-month pilot in 2024.
NHSSGGC said its community midwives would continue to screen for jaundice during regular home visits, ensuring eligible babies could be referred to the new service quickly.
