Summary: Baby clinics run at some sites to prove a ring-fenced time to complete Postnatal & Baby checks, and baby immunisations.
Who’s it for: GPs, Nursing Teams, and Reception
The guidance uses the term 'woman' or 'mother' and includes all people who have given birth, even if they may not identify as women or mothers.
Baby clinics currently only run at Penrose Surgery, for all other sites see Baby & Birth Mother Postnatal Check
Overview of the clinic
Health checks are offered regularly until the baby is 2 years old - we are usually only involved in the 8-week check
- Clinics run every-other week, on a Tuesday afternoon, each using 1 session with a GP, and 1 session with a nurse or nursing associate
- Appointments are 30 minutes (per family) with the GP, and 30 minutes with the nurse or nursing associate
- The clinic covers the 6-8 week baby health check, birth mother postnatal check, and 8 week immunisations
Booking into clinics
Reception Team
Babies & their mothers should be sent the ‘baby registration’ Accurx inviting them to be booked into the clinic when they are first registered with us
- The mother should be booked into the first 15-minute slot, and the baby into the second
- If the clinics are full, only then should we book into other appointments
- Appointments must take place at least 8 weeks after birth, otherwise we will be unable to give immunisations
- Babies should be booked at 8 or 9 weeks of age - any later and the baby will be left unprotected
Remind parent/guardian to bring the Personal Child Health Record (PCHR), (aka. the “Red book”) to this appointment, as it will be used to record the baby’s height and weight.
Reception lead
- If slots are not used up 7 days before a clinic, the slots can be turned into regular F2F appointments
- If possible, contact each of the families coming in the day before to ensure they are aware of their appointment time, and the need to bring their Red Book
Clinic processes
EMIS templates for the postnatal & baby health check are available if you wish to use them (8-week MOTHER and 8-week BABY)
1️⃣ Patient arrives
Reception
- Before the first appointment, ensure the HCA has arranged the equipment necessary for the baby examination (Baby scales, length board, and head measuring tape)
- Both mother and baby to be set as ‘arrived’ in the appointment book
- Ask the mother to do height, weight and blood pressure whilst waiting (See also Blood Pressure Readings)
2️⃣ Birth mother postnatal check
GP
NHS England provide guidance to what a good postnatal consultation looks like:
- This check covers the physical, psychological and social aspects of having a new baby and should be done 6 - 8 weeks after giving birth
- Review the discharge letter, and note any issues that have arisen. Also consider any pre-existing conditions which had management changed due to pregnancy.
- Ideally, it should happen at the same time during baby clinic, but can be done at a completely separate time if preferred
- It is important to ask about mental health & depression, and domestic violence - you may wish to use a depression screening tool (Both PHQ9 and EPDS are linked in the templates)
3️⃣ Baby health check
GP
Babies should have the first development check by a GP when they are 6 to 8 weeks old. At this appointment, the doctor will:
- Perform a physical examination
- Review the development
- Give health promotion advice, including discussing baby’s vaccinations
- Give an opportunity for the parents to express any concerns
- Complete the red book
Detailed advice for what is covered can be found in the 8-WEEK BABY template on EMIS
4️⃣ Baby immunisations
Nurse or Nursing Associate
- The first immunisations cannot be given before baby is 8 weeks old
- At 8 Weeks, babies receive Dose 1 of 6-in-1, Rotavirus, and Men B (for the schedule of baby immunisations, see Booking Vaccination & Immunisation)
- Longer 30-minute appointments are given during baby clinics to allow for any extra time needed for first vaccines
You must have the necessary authority (PSD/PGD) & training to administer a vaccine. Please speak to your clinical lead if you’re unsure before administering.
Process
- Open Template ‘Childhood Immunisations (Ardens)’ in EMIS
- Complete the Administration, PSD/PGD, and Primary Immunisation pages
- Complete vaccination in line with local protocols (See also Vaccinations)
- Write details in the red book
- Explain expected side-effects, and symptoms that may need medical attention
Onward referral & resources
Some referrals can be made by us, but most are carried out by the mother’s health visitor
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