What is the National Neonatal Transport Programme?

The National Neonatal Transport Programme (NNTP) is a specialised service for the transport of premature/sick infants aged up to 28 days old (after their due date), who require transfer between hospitals for intensive/specialist care. The NNTP team travels to the hospital from where the baby is being transferred and provides stabilisation advice and intensive care as needed, prior to, as well as throughout the transport to the specialist hospital.

The NNTP Transport Teams

The clinical teams are comprised of experienced staff from the three Dublin maternity hospitals who have specialist skills to safely care for babies during transfer.

Under the leadership of a Neonatal Transport Consultant, (who may travel with the team when needed), the transport team consists of:

• A Neonatal Medical Registrar
• A Neonatal Transport Nurse
• An Ambulance Operator/EMT/Paramedic (road transports)
• Air Crew/Paramedic (air transports)

Together with staff from the National Ambulance Service (NAS) and/or the Irish Air Corps (IAC) there is a team available for transports, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The transport team is ready to mobilise within 40 minutes of receiving a call.

The NNTP encourages parents to be present when the team arrives in order to discuss the transfer. The team will speak with parents, informing you of the reasons for transport and what is involved in the transport of your son or daughter. You will then be asked to acknowledge that you have understood and agree with this information by signing a NNTP Consent to Transfer and Treatment Form. If parents are unavailable at the hospital, then the team will contact you by phone and obtain a witnessed verbal consent prior to transfer.

If you as the mother are still an in-patient, you may request a transfer to the same hospital as your infant.

• Parents are encouraged to take photographs of your infant prior to departure or request that photographs be taken of your infant.
• Parents may touch or hold your infant (if medically permissible).
• Parents are free to arrange a religious or cultural rite (where circumstances permit).
• Parents are provided with a liaison contact name and telephone number at the receiving hospital who will update you on your infant’s condition at the earliest possible time after the transfer.
• The NNTP will also contact you on arrival at the receiving hospital with an update on how your infant travelled.
• Parents are provided with an information card with the web address of the parents' section on this site. This includes information about the specialist hospital to where your infant is being transferred, including links to hospital maps and other visitor information.