FAMILIES will be able to stay connected with babies being looked after in Tamworth hospital's special care nursery (SCN), after 12 cameras were donated to the ward.
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Tamworth's SCN brings in sick and premature bubs from all over the northern part of the health district.
With some babies staying in the nursery for up to 12 weeks, the cameras are designed to allow parents, siblings and grandparents to watch on from afar and connect with the newborn.
Nursing Unit Manager at the Paediatric Ward and Special Care Nursery Terese Madden said a child being admitted into the SCN can be really disruptive to a family's life and support systems, especially if they're based outside Tamworth or caring for other kids.
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"The idea is to allow family members isolated in far away places to see their babies growing and being cared for," Ms Madden said.
"This will give parents the ability to remotely view their sick or premature infant, which can be for a prolonged period, whilst in hospital."
The NICView program will be expanded to Tamworth hospital for the first time, thanks to an $80,000 donation from Newcastle Permanent's Charitable Foundation.
The initiative is run through the John Hunter Children's Hospital Kids Club.
"We're very excited and happy to be getting the donation ... 12 cameras will make an enormous difference," Ms Madden said.
"The cameras can be accessed by family members anywhere where there's internet," she said.
The SCN at Tamworth hospital has eight beds, with other specialised care rooms in the ward as well.
Ms Madden said one mother she'd spoken with already was excited to introduce her baby twins, who are staying in the SCN, to the rest of the family using the new cameras.
The cameras are one-way only and access is password-protected. The real-time footage cannot be filmed or recorded, and there is no audio.
Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation announced funding grants of more than $820,000 for 11 projects in six different areas of regional NSW.
Ms Madden said being able to keep up with the babies' progress in real time would make all the difference in the coronavirus outbreak, when visitor numbers are limited.
Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald. Email: afalkenmire@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald. Email: afalkenmire@austcommunitymedia.com.au
