Meet Dr Sara
MB ChB, MRCP (paeds), FRCPCH, MD
SPECIALIST PAEDIATRICIAN & NEONATOLOGIST
Tel: +1 (345) 326 7827 (mobile) and +1 (345) 745 7450 (clinic)
Email: [email protected]
I am always delighted to meet new parents (new to being parents or new to the island) and firmly believe that meeting a paediatrician is the best way of finding the right one for you. Simply complete the form below and I’ll set it up.


Complete the MEET ME Form
Appointment Booking with Dr Sara watkin, Cayman Paediatrician
Instructions
Please simply work through the steps on screen. If you have seen one of our paediatricians previously, it is likely we have your child’s details in the system. Please use the following information when prompted to do so:
- Your own email (if yours isn’t found, try your spouse’s)
- Your child’s name
- Child’s Date of Birth (mm/dd/yyyy)
- Child’s Gender
Booking on Mobile
If you are using a smartphone, it helps to turn your screen sideways (landscape).
Urgent Care/ Sick Children Appointments
If you cannot see an appointment slot available, please call us on (345) 745 7450 within office hours or on the Paediatric Out-of-Hours Service (345) 326 4370 (Note: Calls only, Out-of-Hours Only) as we carry specific sick child capacity to help ensure your child can be seen when necessary.
Online booking with instant confirmation
Please simply work through the steps on screen. On mobile, try turning your phone sideways.
Education, Training & Experience
Newborn (Neonatal) Experience
I have extensive experience as a Consultant Neonatologist in 2 large regional level 3 (tertiary) NICUs. Firstly, I was employed at Nottingham City Hospital from December 1994 until April 2006, some 11½ years including a significant number as Chief of Service). Then, I was then employed at University College London Hospital as a locum from 2009-10 and as a permanent consultant from December 2010 until July 2016 (with 5 years as Chief of Service here too). After that, I took up post as the primary neonatal specialist for the island of Grand Cayman.
Nottingham City Hospital
Nottingham City Hospital had 6,000 births and delivered over 3,000 neonatal intensive care and high dependency care days per year. Out of hours, I was on call for both hospitals in Nottingham (10,000 births and 6,000 IC and HD days) and managed both complex neonatal medical and surgical cases.
University College Hospital
University College London Hospital is one of the UK leading specialist centres. It has 6,400 deliveries per year with over 1,000 admissions to the Neonatal Unit of extremely sick complex babies requiring in total nearly 6,000 neonatal intensive care and high dependency care days. UCLH has the highest inborn admission rate in the UK for babies born at less than 29 weeks gestation. UCLH has a renowned fetal medicine unit and is the delivery unit for babies who will need future care at Great Ormond Street Hospital. This means we took and cared for sick newborns from across the UK with complex problems especially cardiac problems, neurosurgical problems and general surgical problems including diaphragmatic hernias. UCLH is also a designated centre for brain cooling for birth-related newborn brain injury & has a significant number of referral of infants with complex neurological problems.
Neonatal Care in Cayman
That probably all sounds rather over-scientific. Yes, it does mean that I have lots of experience in newborn care, including the most complex forms too. The majority of births here don’t need that depth but when they do demand it, it’s obviously reassuring to have. With over 5 years of practice here in Grand Cayman, I have cared for multiple ELBW (extremely low birth weight) babies, including care here and transfers to the US. However, most weeks I am involved in the care of an infant with complications, either preterm or term. Our biggest challenge is we so frequently don’t know what might happen and that’s when skills count and team matters.
Paediatric Experience
I have a broad education in both general and tertiary paediatrics including training at Great Ormond Street Hospital, as well as Nottingham City Hospital. I covered general paediatrics as registrar in Derby, Nottingham City Hospital and Stoke and as senior registrar in Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham. In Stoke I did a general paediatric clinic each week and at QMC I had 2 general paediatric clinics each week, as well as a neonatal follow-up clinic.
In my infant feeding and growth clinic at UCLH, I was referred many patients from the local GPs for advice including children with cow’s milk protein intolerance and food aversion. Following children up for many years until 2 years of age means that I have extensive experience in dealing with problems in this age group, as well as developmental assessment. However, my experience in paediatric care extends right through to adulthood.
Paediatrics on an Island
Good paediatrics in somewhere like Cayman is about being up-to-date and about the right approach when you find yourself sometimes with limited support or back, a challenge facing all smaller islands.
From 2006 onwards, before I moved to Grand Cayman, I undertook frequent paediatric assignments from single weekends to much longer in duration. These were at both Consultant and Registrar level, in a range of paediatric settings but predominantly in 3 hospitals:
- Chesterfield Royal Hospital
- Horton Hospital
- Ysbyty Gwynedd Hospital in Wales
So, I am unusual in having extensive tertiary experience of the sickest children but at the same time lots of experience of smaller hospitals and clinics with limited resources and facilities. These latter experiences are just like practising in Cayman (only colder!)
Paediatrician Cayman Style
In my general paediatric role in Grand Cayman, I see up to 20 children a day in the outpatient setting. These children range from newborn to 16 years and have the full spectrum of childhood complaints from very minor to complex health and developmental problems, including respiratory disease, failure to thrive, short stature, diabetes, duchennes muscular dystrophy, complex cardiac disease and immune deficiency.
I have admitting rights at both of our local hospitals and in George Town Hospital (HSA), that includes both the paediatric wards and the neonatal intensive care unit.
Latest News & Views from Dr Watkin


Covid in Children – Child Health Talk at CI Healthcare Conference
I have been asked many times to share the talk I made at the Cayman Islands Healthcare Conference, covering Covid in Children and how we can optimise and protect child health when we open up... based on evidence! Optimising & Protecting Child Health in the Post...


Wonderful story about a 25-week tiny preterm infant
As a neonatologist, I can say that it is wonderful to see the news that the smallest baby at birth is finally going home after 13 months of neonatal intensive care in Singapore. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58141756...


Myopia in Children following Social Restrictions
Information is emerging that social restrictions and lock down arrangements may be causing myopia in children. The risk for this has been hypothesised and highlighted by numerous professionals, based on two key changes in behaviour in children - a reduction in time...


Best Paediatricians in the Cayman Islands
Guide to Identifying the Best Paediatricians in the Cayman Islands We are going to cover a number of concepts in this guide and not all of them have easy or definitive answers. What’s more, if you are going to look for the best paediatricians in the Cayman Islands,...