Baby care at Luton and Dunstable Hospital is just bliss

Luton and Dunstable Hospital's neonatal unit has gained significant recognition for its high-quality family-centred care.

The Bliss Baby Charter Accreditation awards neonatal units that deliver high-quality care to babies and support for their families. It was developed by Bliss to help hospitals caring for premature and sick babies to assess the care they provide and identify areas for improvement.

An assessment was carried out at Luton and Dunstable neonatal unit on 25 November 2021, by Bliss Baby Charter programme lead Holly Sullivan with Bliss Baby Charter programme officer Nathan Ward, and volunteer assessors Emily Gorrod-Smith and Fauzia Paize. The Baby Charter lead for the unit was Claire Adamson.

It showed staff at the L&D are dedicated to providing the best possible service. The staff work extremely well together as a team and have integrated systems across the unit to ensure that parents are involved in their babies’ care.

Holly said: "It was a delight to visit Luton and Dunstable Neonatal Unit for their assessment visit, after a long period of being unable to visit units at all. It was clear from the moment that we arrived that the staff at Luton and Dunstable did everything within their power to ensure that each family felt truly supported on their neonatal journey.

“Feedback from parents made it clear that staff members were especially valued by the families, and there was a true sense of collaboration, team work and peer support amongst the staff. I am delighted that we are able to formally recognise the continuing commitment of staff at Luton and Dunstable to family centred care, and I can't wait to see how they continue to provide this excellent support to babies and their families."

Feedback from parents on the day was positive regarding both the care of their baby and the support families have received from staff practically and emotionally; Luton and Dunstable are committed to continual improvement, with extensive plans for developments to the unit going forward.

Jenny Rolls gave birth to her baby at the L&D and spent time on the unit as her baby received neonatal care. Since then she has stayed a part of the team working on the Baby Charter accreditation. Jenny said: “It has been a huge privilege to be able to support and work alongside the Luton and Dunstable Neonatal team through the Bliss charter accreditation process.

“The NICU team have worked incredibly hard to ensure our babies and their families are at the heart of their care plans and conducted to the highest of standards. This award acknowledges just how dedicated and amazing the team really are at doing this and I couldn’t be prouder of the work they have done and continue to do, for my babies and thousands of others. Congratulations Luton and Dunstable!”

Claire Adamson, Lead Nurse and Baby Charter Lead for the unit, said: “We are so proud to have received accreditation for the Bliss Baby Charter, it’s an incredible achievement for our unit and showcases our commitment to family-centred care.

“Being accredited is recognition of all the hard work and determination from every member of staff in the neonatal unit. We will continue to strive to do our best for all of our families and babies coming through the unit.”

For more information on the Bliss Baby Charter go to: bliss.org.uk/health-professionals/bliss-baby-charter