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 programme allows infants meeting specific clinical criteria to undergo phototherapy, delivered by a specialised sleeping bag-style garment that emits therapeutic light, without needing to return to hospital.
Around six in 10 newborns are affected by neonatal jaundice, often requiring several days of treatment. Traditionally, this meant disruptive hospital readmissions for mothers and babies just as they were settling into a home routine, a challenge now mitigated by this new at-home care option.
The Hospital at Home service launched by the neonatal unit at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow means babies can now be treated safely and comfortably in their own surroundings.
Alicia Hardie, whose daughter Cora Donohue was born three weeks early on Christmas Eve, is one mother who has welcomed the service, along with her partner Mark Donohue.
Miss Hardie, from Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire, said: “I gave birth at the Royal Alexandra Hospital and had lost a lot of blood, so I needed to stay in for a few days afterwards.
“We were all packed up and ready to go home when Cora’s blood test showed she needed light therapy for jaundice. At that point, we didn’t know the Hospital at Home service existed, so we stayed in for another few days.
“We finally got home on December 30, but at Cora’s next blood test her jaundice levels were still high, and she needed the lights again, so back to hospital we went. It was during that stay that the team told us about the Hospital at Home equipment.
“Within two hours of learning about it, senior nurse Kerry was giving us everything we needed.
“After an early birth and the back and forth for blood tests, it was exactly what we needed. We could finally relax at home and start our new life together.
“Kerry was so supportive, and the equipment was incredibly easy to use. After just two days using the suit at home, Cora passed her blood test and she’s doing brilliantly now.”
As part of the service, a neonatal senior nurse visits each family at home every day to check the baby’s bilirubin levels, assess progress, and determine whether treatment should continue.
If the families have any questions at other times, someone is available over the phone.
The service started work on November 24 last year and as of January 8, 40 have received jaundice treatment at home.
The dedicated team delivering the initiative comprises four neonatal Hospital at Home senior nurses, four consultants and a service improvement manager.
They currently have six units and treatment length varies from two to eight days, but is dependent on individual results from each baby.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) neonatal Hospital at Home senior nurse Kayleigh Cunningham said: “Hospital at Home helps us treat babies who may develop jaundice symptoms around 72 hours after birth, as this can happen often.
“If a mum and baby have already gone home, they would traditionally need to return for a hospital stay.
“This can be upsetting when families have just begun settling into life at home.”
The programme was designed and developed by the hospital’s neonatal team following a successful three-month pilot in 2024.
NHSGGC said its community midwives will continue to screen for jaundice during routine home visits, ensuring eligible babies can be referred swiftly to the new service.