The Portland Hospital
205-209 Great Portland Street W1W 5AH London
Neonatal care
- ✔ Specialist care for ill or premature newborns
- ✔ London’s only private maternity hospital with an on-site NICU
- ✔ Providing the best possible care for your newborn
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Neonatal care at HCA UK
Why choose us?
When a baby is born prematurely, or shows signs of being unwell soon after birth, you need to know they’re in the safest possible hands. Your newborn may need special neonatal care to help keep them warm, stabilise their breathing and provide nourishment if they are struggling to feed.
Working in state-of-the-art facilities, our outstanding neonatal specialists are supported by a wider team of clinical experts all dedicated to giving your baby the best possible start in life.
Monitoring and caring for premature or unwell newborns and babies requires a great deal of experience and specialist knowledge.
• Many of our consultant neonatologists are pioneers in this field
• Several hold prominent positions at London's top teaching hospitals
• Some are responsible for the invention of life-support systems for babies and the development of brain injury treatment for preterm and term newborn infants
Our consultants are supported by an exceptional team of highly trained neonatal nurses alongside other skilled professionals including lactation specialists.
It’s on-site at The Portland Hospital, meaning there’s no delay getting your newborn urgent and specialist care, should they need it.
This state-of-the-art facility is expertly equipped to monitor and care for both Portland-delivered babies, and any baby with complex needs born after 28 weeks’ gestation who can be transferred to our Level 2 High Dependency Unit. Our team is skilled at delivering the urgent intervention and care your newborn may need.
Yes, you can. If your baby is born within the NHS after 28 weeks’ gestation and needs specialist neonatal services, we can arrange for them to be transferred to our care as quickly and safely as possible.
Any baby with complex medical or post-surgical problems can also be transferred to us at any time.
40,000
babies and young people cared for at The Portland Hospital every year
15,000
babies delivered across the HCA Healthcare network every year
24/7
care for vulnerable newborns, 365 days a year
Next day appointments
Access to a specialist within 24 hours*
State-of-the-art diagnostics
With results in as little as 48 hours*
Your newborn’s needs at the centre of everything
Our expert paediatric care will always be focused on the personal needs of your infant
NEONATAL SERVICES
Personalised care for every new life
We believe that every newborn deserves highly personalised care, focused on their unique needs, no matter how complex. Our team is ready to offer all the support your baby needs, from diagnostic tests to complex surgery and procedures, including access to a Level 2 neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) here at The Portland Hospital.
Our experienced neonatologists work as part of wider, multi-skilled nursing and support teams doing whatever it takes to deliver fully personalised care for your newborn.
✔ Dedicated on-site NICU
✔ Specialist neonatal staff
✔ Pioneering techniques
✔ Easy NHS transfer
✔ From 28 weeks’ gestation
✔Complex medical or post-surgical problems
Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)
Vital support for premature and unwell babies
The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at The Portland Hospital provides highly specialised, often life-saving support ranging from short-term intensive care through to a Level 2 High Dependency Unit.
It’s designed for babies born after 28 weeks’ gestation who require specialist treatments such as non-invasive oxygen therapy, intravenous nutrition or monitoring.
Our expert NICU teams include:
✔ Paediatric surgeons
✔ Neonatologists
✔ Neonatal nurses
✔ Respiratory care specialists
✔ Physical and occupational therapists
✔ Lactation consultants
You’ll also find an inclusive, family-centred approach that puts you at the centre of the process and helps us provide exceptional care for newborns experiencing a wide range of challenges from those born preterm to those with birth defects or genetic conditions.
Worried about your newborn, but not sure what to do?
You can get a same- or next-day appointment with a GP.
Have a referral and need to book?
If you’ve already got your referral letter, it couldn’t be simpler. You can book a test or treatment directly.
Unsure of a diagnosis and need some answers?
We’re happy to help, just book in and one of our neonatologists can talk you through everything you need to know.
Locations
Where can I find you?
When your newborn needs support, we’re here for them – and you – with our state-of-the-art facilities and dedicated NICU at The Portland Hospital.
Accessing private health care
Self-pay
You don’t need health insurance for your child to be seen quickly. If you’re looking for a diagnosis or treatment and don’t want to wait, all of our private healthcare services – from private GP appointments through to surgery and aftercare – can be paid for as and when you need them.
And we’ll offer you a clear and transparent quote, outlining exactly what’s included in your self-pay package.
Your questions answered
This specialist care is given to newborn babies needing extra support and, possibly, clinical intervention.
The medical term neonatal means ‘newborn’ and it technically describes the first 28 days of a baby’s life. However, our services extend to newborn babies well beyond that timeframe.
Most newborns admitted to our unit are premature, which means they are born before 37 weeks of pregnancy. They tend to have a low birth weight or have a medical condition that requires intensive care.
However, they may also need to be looked after by us if they have a life-threatening birth defect, surgical or genetic condition.
As your baby grows and needs less medical support, they can be moved to our special care baby unit (SCBU). For the sake of continuity and the best clinical outcomes, the same neonatal nurses will care for your baby across both locations.
Our team is ready to offer whatever support your baby needs, from diagnostic tests to complex surgery and procedures. We provide Level 2 neonatal intensive care at our NICU which is based in HCA UK’s paediatric centre, The Portland Hospital.
Our patients’ stories
Laura's premature baby
When baby Grey was born at 31 weeks, he seemed healthy. But his condition quickly deteriorated, and he developed breathing and heart problems.
This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.