Problem Statement Kolar Special Newborn Care Units (SNCU) is overcrowded with doubling of babies under warmers. At least 30% of admissions were referrals from Newborn Stabilization Unit (NBSU) for Oxygen support or jaundice management in term babies. Mentoring the NBSU-SNCU network to optimise the resource utilisation by reducing the inappropriate referrals to SNCU and increasing the back referrals to NBSUs leading to increase in high intensive care bed availability in SNCU. Programme Description NBSU gap analysis was done as per FBNC Operational Guidelines to assess gaps in infrastructure. NBSU doctors & nurses were trained for Emergency newborn care. Equipments were procured/repaired. Quarterly discussion of NBSU morbidity data. To & fro transport system between NBSU & SNCU. Programme Outcomes 20% reduction in patient days in SNCU due to less referrals from NBSU. Back referral of stable babies (term babies with no O2) for completion of antibiotics and phototherapy decongesting SNCU. Back referral rate of 10%. Better data collection of NBSU teams. Improved team spirit between NBSU & SNCU. SNCU had fewer babies with doubling & antibiotic usage reduced by 20% and also treatment outcome of the unit improved. Scalability Back referral of babies from SNCU to NBSU is a novel concept. This can reduce overcrowding in SNCU so that they can concentrate on managing sick neonates with existing Human Resource. Implementing Partners This was part of Strengthening of Facility Based Newborn Care Services – taken up in collaboration with National Neonatology Forum – Karnataka. Financial Implication Not applicable as existing resources were used with no new infrastructure/ human resource involved. Costs required are primarily for back referral ambulance which can be handled by making a policy to use ‘108’ ambulance service or Nagu magu for back-referrals. Source : We Care Coffee Table Book - Good, Replicable and Innovative Practices 2019