Special Care Baby Unit gains Unicef recognition | News

We are delighted to announce that our Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) has been awarded a Certificate of Commitment from Unicef, as part of their Baby Friendly initiative. This certificate takes the unit one step closer to gaining full accreditation from Unicef.

Over the past year, the team have worked hard to make sure their work meets the standards required by Unicef’s Baby Friendly Initiative. Their submission included a copy of their newborn feeding policy to show how the Trust support women with their choices of feeding. They also submitted an action plan that outlines the actions they will take, from receiving the Certificate of Commitment, to receiving full accreditation.

In their submission to Unicef, the team focused on their ambition to develop an educated workforce across all disciplines, promoting the benefits of breastmilk, supporting families to develop close and loving relationships with their newborn and to understand the importance of this for their baby’s development. Our Special Care Baby Unit has recently been refurbished, with these standards in mind, and there is the facility for a parent to sleep beside their babies 24/7.

Where families are unable to be present, a secure digital platform called V-Create can send images and short videos to parents who provide consent. Staff on SCBU strive to put families at the heart of all care, and respect how difficult it is being separated.

Fiona England, Practice Development Sister for the Special Care Baby Unit, said: “The SCBU team, above all, wish for families to have a positive experience when they find their newborn requires special care.

“Together, with our midwifery colleagues, we have worked hard to identify barriers and make improvements for families. Our journey to Baby Friendly Initiative accreditation is opening up opportunities for us to nurture responsive parenting and we look forward to seeing our families benefit”.