Psychological support on the Neonatal Unit

You can be referred at any stage of your baby’s admission to NICU.

If you would like to be referred, please ask any member of your hospital care team such as your baby’s nurse.

• You will be contacted to arrange a time to meet, either in hospital or via phone/video call if you prefer.
• The psychologist can see you on your own or with your partner or other family members. It is your choice.
• If you require an interpreter, please let us know.
• The first meeting is an opportunity to talk about what is most challenging for you. We can think together about what might support you while your baby is in NICU.
• There may be a small wait for appointments.
• Sometimes we have trainees working in the team, all of whom are supervised. We will check first to see if you are comfortable meeting with a trainee.
• Sometimes, it may be enough to meet with a psychologist once or twice, other times you may wish to meet more regularly.

Any information you share with the psychologist is confidential. This means it will not be shared without your permission unless there is concern about risk of harm to you, your child, or others.

Parents sometimes find it useful to share information with the clinical team to help them understand the best way to communicate with you, and care for your baby.

Notes from your conversations are documented in your hospital record, this is separate to your baby’s medical notes. A brief record of contact is made in your baby’s medical notes to the clinical team are aware the psychologist has met you.

The decision to use the psychology service is entirely up to you. If you decide not to, it will not affect your baby’s care.

This page on the North Bristol NHS Trust website has links to many organisations who provide support and information to parents of babies in the neonatal unit: NICU Useful Links | North Bristol NHS Trust

South West Neonatal Network 

The South West Neonatal Network have put together virtual tours of the neonatal units in the area as well as the ambulances that transfer neonatal babies in the region. You may find this useful to look at before your first visit: SW Neonatal Units — South West Neonatal Network

You can contact our team Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays) 09:00 to 16:00 on 0117 414 6818. 

You can ask any of your baby’s care team to contact us on your behalf and they will be happy to help. 

We hope you are pleased with the psychological service you receive.  

Our service is continually developing and reviewing our practice so we can ensure families receive the best support possible. 

When your support from our service comes to an end, you may be asked if you are happy to be contacted for your feedback and views on how the services can be improved. 

If you have concerns about the service you receive from the psychologist, please discuss them with the psychologist or another member of the NICU team. 

If this does not address your concerns, please contact the Patient Experience Team on 0117 414 4569 or email pals@nbt.nhs.uk.