Each year, more than 2,000 seriously ill and premature babies from Queensland and northern New South Wales come to Mater Mothers’ Hospitals’ Neonatal Critical Care Unit (NCCU) at South Brisbane to receive around the clock specialist life-saving care from the team. If you believe a family under your care will potentially require an admission to the NCCU, please make a referral.
Inclusion Criteria
- Any pregnant woman with a baby that has a condition likely requiring admission to the NCCU
- Common conditions include; surgical conditions (e.g. bowel atresias, abdominal wall defects, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, posterior urethral valves, spina bifida, hydrocephalus) and congenital heart disease
- If you are unsure you patient requires a referral, please call 3163 8250 and talk with director of neonatology
How to refer – Inpatient (urgent) & Impeding preterm birth
Please call Preterm Medical neonatologist on 07 3163 6910 or speed dial 6910 or through the switchboard
How to refer – Inpatient (non-urgent) Outpatient
Please email the referral to Neonatal-Consults@mater.org.au
- State “Private Outpatient Referral” in the subject line
- Please include a scanned referral, preferably on letterhead, with a provider number
- Please include the relevant clinical details; EDD and any delivery plans already made (Caesarean or IOL booking), fetal condition, other teams involved in the care
- Please include an expected timeframe for the woman to be seen, including any booked appointments at Mater Mother’s Hospital South Brisbane to minimise travel
When should I refer?
Any time - an early referral allows more time to triage and find a suitable date for consultation.
What to expect when I refer?
- A Neonatologist will provide counselling for all privately-funded women
- Parents meet an experienced clinical nurse consultant, receive an information pack and are offered a tour of the NCCU
- All women are offered an antenatal review by an NCCU Lactation Consultant
- All patients are provided Mater’s brochure Outcomes for Preterm Babies (where appropriate)
- NCCU team are aware of the pending delivery and admission
- Reduced likelihood of delivery delay due to NCCU capacity
Who will provide the patient counselling?
Indication | Privately-funded patients |
| Less than 26 weeks gestation of EFW less than 750g* | Neonatologist to provide counselling |
| 26-27+6 weeks gestation or EFW less than 1000g | Neonatologist to provide counselling |
| 28-31+6 weeks gestation or EFW less than 1250g | Neonatologist to provide counselling |
| 32-36+6 weeks gestation or EFW less than 2200g | Private VMO or Neonatologist to provide counselling |
Please note: every effort will be taken to ensure privately-funded women receive antenatal counselling by a neonatologist or private VMO. However in emergency circumstances this may be facilitated by a Fellow, NNP (Neonatologist on-call).
Who will attend the birth?
Indication | Privately-funded patients |
| Less than 26 weeks gestation of EFW less than 750g* | Neonatologist expected to attend |
| 26-27+6 weeks gestation or EFW less than 1000g | Neonatologist expected to attend |
| 28-31+6 weeks gestation or EFW less than 1250g | Neonatologist expected to attend (neonatal fellow or NNP may attend after hours) |
| 32-36+6 weeks gestation or EFW less than 2200g | Private paediatrician +/- Nurse (nurse may be a SCN who meets criteria to be part of the First Response Team to facilitate admission to SCN) |