Top award for services at Northumberland hospital baby unit
A specialist hospital unit for babies in Northumberland has been given top marks for the service it provides.
Northumbria Specialist Emergency Hospital neonatal unit has successfully completed its Gold Baby Charter accreditation from leading leading baby charity Bliss.
The independent accreditation demonstrates the unit has high standard procedures, practices, and facilities in place to empower parents and carers to be partners through joint decision-making and hands-on care.
The accreditation was awarded following an assessment which took place in April.
The Bliss Baby Charter is a practical framework that neonatal units can use to assess how well they are placing families at the centres of their baby’s care.
The assessment found the neonatal unit at the Cramlington hospital had excellent family access to a psychologist; free food vouchers for families, wellbeing areas for staff and parents and the encouragement of siblings and extended family and friends to be cot-side – including siblings being encouraged to carry out baby ‘care’ on dolls.
Access to digital support and patient information is provided by the provision of donated mobile phones to parents who don’t have one and developmental care packs are provided on discharge.
Jane Stirton, advanced neonatal clinical practitioner and Bliss project lead at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said “We are incredibly proud to receive this Gold Bliss Baby Charter accreditation, which reflects the dedication of our team to embedding family-centred care in everything we do.
“With support from Bliss and our trust Bright charity, we have created a welcoming environment where parents are at the heart of their baby’s care, with improved family spaces, privacy screens and tablets to help families stay connected, including video messaging, if they are separated whilst mum receives treatment.”
Dr Sangeeta Tiwary, child health consultant at Northumbria Healthcare said: “Achieving Gold is a significant milestone for our neonatal team – including nurses, consultants, physiotherapists, psychologists, breastfeeding coordinators and many others – reflecting their dedication and expertise.
“The assessors recognised not only the exceptional high standards of clinical care, compassion and kindness, as well as our partnership approach with parents and carers.”
Bliss is the leading UK charity dedicated to supporting the 90,000 babies born premature or sick each year.