3D tour of Newborn Care Unit launched

An interactive 3D tour of the Oxford Newborn Care Unit at the John Radcliffe Hospital has been launched, allowing parents and families to virtually explore the unit before their stay.

Users can navigate through all three areas that make up the Oxford Newborn Care Unit, including the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), High Dependency Unit (HDU), and Low Dependency Unit (LDU).

The tour, developed in partnership with the Thames Valley & Wessex Neonatal Operational Delivery Network (TVW ODN), can be viewed on the TVW ODN website.

Sharon Garrett, Deputy Sister and Family Integrated Care Lead Nurse at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH), said: "The Oxford Newborn Care Unit is proud to produce this 3D tour, which is a valuable resource for parents and families, allowing them to virtually explore the unit before or during their stay.

"This immersive experience will help alleviate anxiety by familiarising families with the unit layout, key facilities and staff areas. Parents can view the space where their baby will be cared for, from incubators to family rooms and beyond."

Clare Morris, Deputy Matron, Oxford Newborn Care Unit at OUH, said: "We appreciate that it can be a very worrying time for parents whose babies may need specialist care on our unit, and we hope that being able to visualise the unit prior to visiting in person can provide some reassurance."

All units within the TVW ODN have tours available for all to access.

If you are a parent or carer and wish to use the virtual tour to explore the Newborn Care Unit where your baby was cared for, please make sure you are in a safe space and feel emotionally ready to revisit the unit. We know that revisiting the unit, even years down the line, can bring back emotional memories, so please take care.