The before and after cohort study investigated if the introduction of a parent-centred neonatal discharge package could increase parental confidence in caring for their baby, reduce the length of stay of babies in neonatal care and reduce the use and cost of health care.

CACH team : Peter Fleming, Jenny Ingram, Pete Blair, Debbie Johnson. Funded by NIHR HS&DR Programme.

The ‘Train-to-Home’ (TTH) is a family-centred discharge package comprising a train graphic and supporting care pathways to facilitate parents understanding of their baby’s progress and physiological maturation, combined with an estimation of the likely discharge date.  Parents reported that the TTH improved understanding of their baby’s progress and their preparedness for discharge. Following introduction of TTH, there was a significant reduction in the number of post-discharge visits to Emergency Departments and associated healthcare costs after discharge.

The study materials are freely available on the South West Neonatal website www.swneonatalnetwork.co.uk/train-to-home for other neonatal units to access. They are currently used in the UK, USA and New Zealand.