Neonatal Emergency Transport Service - Share your experience

If your baby was transferred by NETS WA, you will know that particular kind of fear. The team arrives, your baby goes, and often you cannot go with them.

Researchers at The Kids Research Institute Australia want to hear about that experience. PAIRS is a collaboration between Healing Kids, Healing Families and NETS WA, with the aim of improving how emergency transfer supports families. Around 1300 infants need emergency transport with the NETS team each year, across a service area of 2.6 million square kilometres. Your experience could shape how that service supports the next family.

You are eligible if you are 18 or older, you were present at the time of transport, and your baby needed emergency transport in WA in the past 2 years (NETS WA, Royal Flying Doctor Service or St John Ambulance).

What's involved is a short online survey of about 2 minutes, then a recorded interview with a researcher of around 1 hour.

Survey:  https://uwa.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3LfTGRAhpd0pqVo

Light it up Purple 2020

Each year we co-ordinate purple lighting throughout WA to join the wave of light sweeping the globe on World Prematurity Day, to shine a light on the global issue of preterm birth, affecting some 15 million annually. We would encourage you to get out and about on 17 November. Take some photos with your families and don’t forget to tag us so that we can share through our channels @tinysparkswa

Venues joining us to ‘Light it up Purple’ include:

  • Scarborough Beach Amphitheatre*

  • Perth Cultural Centre near James St Amphitheatre*

  • Parliament House

  • Mandurah Bridge

  • Council House

  • Yagan Square including water feature*

  • Bell Tower

  • Perth Concert Hall*

  • Perth Children’s Hospital*

  • Busselton Civic Centre*

  • King Edward Memorial Hospital

  • Trafalgar Bridge, East Perth

  • Broome Water Tower*

  • Optus Stadium

  • Matagarup Bridge

  • Perth General Post Office*

  • Elizabeth Quay

  • SJOG Hospital Bunbury*

  • ECU Joondalup*

  • Mount Street Bridge*

  • Sky Ribbon*

  • Graham Farmer Freeway Tunnel*

(* denotes first time participation in 2020)

We truly appreciate the regional shires who have embraced this opportunity! Broome, Mandurah, Busselton, thank you so much!!

Don’t forget to share your story with your family and friends throughout Neonatal November.

Thank you for your generous support!

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COVID-19 Relevant Health Guidelines

The Department of Health Western Australia has published some guidelines in relation to COVID-19. Those that are relevant to our families include ‘Management of COVID-19 Infection in Pregnant Women Statewide’ and also ‘COVID-19 Guidance for Neonatal Services Statewide’.

Whilst we hope that all those who are pregnant remain well. Given the present situation it may pay to familiarise yourselves with these documents and discuss with your care team if you have any questions.

It is important to remember to only obtain information from trustworthy sources.

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Care Packages for Bunbury

Some babies are admitted to Neonatal Units for several hours and some for many months. This has considerable impact on parents, siblings, extended family and staff, a true ripple effect.

Each baby is unique, each stay is unique but for most it is totally unexpected. Being separated from your baby isn’t what was planned. The babies admitted to Bunbury Regional Hospital Neonatal Unit generally stay 1 to 7 days. Their parents may be feeling overwhelmed and isolated during that time.

We are pleased to announce expansion of our Care Package Program to Bunbury Regional Hospital 🎉 With thanks to volunteer delivery driver Sharni, each month BRH Neonatal Unit will receive 30 ‘Special Care Packs’ for distribution to babies admitted to their unit.

We are very conscious of expanding our programs in a sustainable way. It is thanks to the generosity of the community that we can continue to grow, and support more WA families each year.

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Father's Day 2017

Thanks to the support of our community we were able to distribute 210 gifts across 20 neonatal units state wide for Father's Day.  We know from the feedback we have received over the past 4 years that these special occasion gifts really go make a difference to a parents connection with their baby in the neonatal unit.

We designed cards especially for our neonate Dads so they can treasure their baby's tiny footprints created with love by their neonatal nurses. We also included a small gift to let them know that they are not alone, and the Tiny Sparks WA community is here to support them and their family.

Cards for Dad's in neonatal units.

 

Keyring gifts.

Mail out for our regional hospitals.

Mail out for our regional hospitals.

Heading to the post office.

Heading to the post office.