Newborns diagnosed with jaundice in Scotland can now receive vital treatment in the comfort of their own home, thanks to the launch of an innovative ‘Hospital at Home’ service by Scotland’s largest health board.
The new program allows babies who meet certain clinical criteria to receive light therapy, with therapeutic light delivered by a specialized sleeping bag-style garment, without the need to return to hospital.
Neonatal jaundice affects approximately 6 in 10 newborns and usually requires several days of treatment. Traditionally, this has meant mother and baby needing to be readmitted to the hospital as they adjust to life at home, a challenge now alleviated by this new home care option.
The launch of the ‘Hospital at Home’ service at the Neonatology Unit at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Glasgow means babies can now be treated in the safety and comfort of their own environment.
Alicia Hardie, a mother whose daughter Cora Donohue was born three weeks early on Christmas Eve, and her partner Mark Donohue welcomed the service.
Cora was born three weeks early on Christmas Eve (Alicia Hardie/PA Wire)
Miss Hardy, from Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire, said: “I gave birth at the Royal Alexandra Hospital and lost a lot of blood so I needed to stay in hospital for a few days after the birth.
“When Cora’s blood tests showed she needed phototherapy for jaundice, we all packed up and headed home. At the time, we didn’t know there were home hospital services, so we stayed a few more days.
“We finally got home on December 30, but at Cora’s next blood test her jaundice levels were still high and she needed a light again, so we went back to the hospital. It was during that stay that the team introduced us to the equipment at Home Hospital.
“Within two hours of being informed of the incident, senior nurse Kerry provided us with everything we needed.
“After a premature birth and going back and forth with blood tests, this was just what we needed. We were finally able to relax at home and start a new life together.”
“Kerry was very supportive and the device was very easy to use. After just two days of using the kit at home, Cora passed her blood tests and she is now doing extremely well.”
As part of the service, an advanced neonatal nurse visits each family’s home daily to check the baby’s bilirubin levels, assess progress, and determine whether treatment should continue.
If families have any questions at other times, they can be reached by phone.
The service started working on November 24 last year, and as of January 8, 40 people were receiving treatment for jaundice at home.
The specialist team delivering the program includes four neonatal home hospital senior nurses, four consultants and a service improvement manager.
They currently have six units, with treatment lengths ranging from two to eight days but depending on each baby’s individual outcome.
Cora Donohue with home hospital equipment (Alicia Hardie/PA Wire)
Kayleigh Cunningham, senior nurse at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) Neonatal Home Hospital, said: “Home hospitals help us treat babies who may develop symptoms of jaundice around 72 hours after birth, as this happens very often.
“If the mother and baby have gone home, they often need to return to the hospital for hospitalization.
“This can be upsetting when families are just starting to adjust to life at home.”
The project 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 are quickly referred to the new service.
