Addenbrooke's Hospital
Research and Development
The Rosie Hospital
The Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) is a ten bedded unit taking premature and term babies who do not require intensive care, but are unable to be cared for on a regular postnatal ward.
The consultants who oversee the care of your baby on SCBU are the same as those on NICU, and are:
The Clinical Service Manager is Tina Pollard, and the Clinical Lead Nurse is Liz Scott. Alongside there is a team of doctors who rotate from NICU, nurses and nursery nurses who are based on SCBU. Other staff who may have input into the care of your baby include:
Ward rounds take place in the mornings. Due to the larger area in SCBU, meaning less likelihood of breaching confidentiality, parents are encouraged to stay for ward rounds to participate in decisions regarding their baby.
Some babies come to SCBU for a six hour stay, others a few days and some a few weeks prior to going home. Whether your baby has been admitted following delivery or has graduated from NICU the care is tailored to your baby’s individual requirements and will involve a range of multidisciplinary team workers to ensure your baby receives the most optimal, family-centred care. The design of the unit is such to enable parents to have a lot more involvement in the care of their baby: there is more space, comfy chairs to help with establishing breastfeeding, equipment for playing with your baby and specialists to help you prepare for taking your baby home.
Finding us
...from within the Rosie
The unit is situated on Level 3 of the Rosie Hospital and is well sign-posted and easy to find.
If you use the lift, exit on level 3, turn right, go through the double doors and then turn left after the stairwell and the doors of the unit are in front of you. Use the intercom to alert the reception staff that you have arrived.
...from the main entrance
From the main hospital entrance turn right into the main concourse. Follow signs towards the Addenbrooke's Treatment Centre and the Rosie Maternity Hospital. Walk straight along the 'Clown' corridor until you reach a left turn which is signposted 'Rosie'. Follow this corridor up the ramp until you see lifts on the right hand side.
Parking information
Visitors should park in the Treatment Centre car park or the main hospital car park.
See the Finding us section for more travel information.
Infection control

All premature and sick babies are at increased risk of infection. It is essential that all staff, parents and visitors wash their hands on entering a clinical area and before handling a baby. There is also hand rub at each cot space to use. It is important that you inform / ask staff for advice if you or your family are unwell with a cold, tummy bug or flu or have been in recent contact with chicken pox. To reduce the risk of cross infection and maintain good visibility to your baby we ask that only two toys per cot are used. Ideally toys should be washed weekly.
Telephones
There have been occasions when mobile telephones have caused vital medical equipment to fail. To protect your baby and others, please ensure that all mobile phones are switched off whenever you are in any area of the clinical areas (NICU, SCBU or Sara ward). Mobile phones can be used in the parent rooms on NICU. Please ensure the phone is switched off before returning to the clinical area.
Alternatively there are payphones in the lift lobby and the parents' corridor on NICU. There is also a portable payphone on Sara Ward which can be used in a ‘quiet room' for confidentiality. Please ask staff if you require this.
Contact us:
Tel: 01223 348 059 (general enquiries 0900 to 1700 hrs)
The nurse caring for your baby will be able to update you on his or her progress when you visit the unit or by telephone. You can telephone the unit at any time day or night.
Visiting times:
Parents and siblings may visit their baby at any time of the day or night on the SCBU.
Other family and friends restricted to 14.30-16.30 hours and 19.00-20.30 hours
Offsite links: