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Baby Safety & Security

Baby Safety and Security

We work extremely hard to keep every baby safe. Please help us by following these important guidelines:

  • Never let anyone enter the unit when the door is opened for you unless you personally know who they are.
  • Only allow staff wearing a visible Kingston Hospital photo ID badge to come through with you.

Cameras

There are CCTV cameras throughout the Neonatal Unit, these are in place to keep staff and families safe.

 

Parents

You are welcome to wait in the parents’ sitting room, but please avoid waiting at the nurses’ station. Staff are frequently handling confidential phone calls, and we must protect the privacy of all families.

  • All visitors must be accompanied by a parent.
  • Only one visitor per parent is allowed at a time.
  • Only your own children may visit, and only if they are well.

 

Friends and Family

Family and friends who wish to visit must:

  • Arrive through the Main Maternity Reception between 15:00 and 19:00.
  • Only one visitor may accompany one parent — a maximum of two people per cot or incubator.
  • Visitors must wait in the Antenatal Clinic downstairs and are not permitted to wait in the corridors of the Neonatal Unit.

 

Baby Security and Infection Prevention

Newborn babies — especially premature or unwell babies — are at higher risk of infection. Protecting them is our top priority.

To keep all babies safe:

  • Everyone must wash their hands and arms up to the elbows at the sinks inside each nursery when they arrive.
  • Staff also use alcohol‑based hand rubs before handling babies.
  • At times, visiting may be further restricted — for example, during peak flu season — and other visitors, such as friends, may not be allowed to enter the unit.

Please follow these rules:

  • Sit only with your own baby.
  • Do not walk around the nursery looking at other babies.
  • Never touch another baby. If you see a baby who seems distressed, alert a staff member or press the blue emergency call button.
  • If you feel unwell, please speak to staff before visiting. Do not bring visitors who are unwell, especially with coughs, colds, or sore throats.

 

Safety Around Equipment

All medical equipment must be operated only by staff.

  • Please do not turn off alarms or adjust any settings.
  • Some parents who have been trained for home‑use equipment may be permitted to operate specific items.
  • If you are worried about anything, ask a member of staff or press the blue emergency button on the wall. If you are unsure where it is, please ask.

 

Confidentiality

We take confidentiality very seriously.

  • We cannot share information about any baby other than your own.
  • Please do not ask staff about other families’ babies.

 

Photography and Video

You are welcome to take photos of your baby.

  • Please turn off the flash, as it can startle babies.
  • You may take video but always ask staff first.
  • Be mindful of other families and staff — video cameras can pick up sound, including confidential conversations.

If you would like to record video, please speak to the nurse caring for your baby so we can ensure everyone’s privacy is protected.