Our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is first in London to win Gold for family friendly care

Having a baby admitted to a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is an anxious time for any family. However, parents of babies admitted to the NICU at Whittington Hospital in Archway, North London can be reassured that they and their baby’s care will be gold standard, following the accreditation of the unit by Bliss, the charity for babies born premature or sick.

The unit has been given the accreditation under Bliss’s Baby Charter accreditation scheme. The scheme is the UK’s standard for developing, measuring and improving family-integrated care for premature and sick babies.

The unit was assessed in May 2024 with assessors speaking to both parents and staff on top of a self-assessment by staff working on the unit. Assessors found that all parents interviewed felt supported by the unit and its staff and that their anxieties and worries were listened to and respected. They also noted that staff on the unit were dedicated to providing the best possible service in line with the principles of family-integrated care.

Research has found that a family-integrated approach to care brings with it proven benefits to the baby, family and unit staff. Benefits for baby and family include improved long-term health outcomes, enhanced bonding, increased parental confidence increased breastfeeding rates and allows families to make positive memories even during a stressful and worrying period.

Grateful parents who benefited from the unit’s approach to care were Chloe and George whose son Leo was born prematurely at 31 weeks and stayed on the NICU for 6 weeks. They said: “We want to thank everyone who played a part in Leo’s NICU journey. Whether they kept him company and spoke to him, fed and clothed him, examined him, and gave him his medications they helped our little Leo grow big and strong and we couldn’t have done any of it without them.

“They helped us as first-time parents gain the confidence we needed, and both advised and reassured us in moments where we may have had doubts, fears or concerns.”

Speaking about the unit receiving its gold accreditation, Laura Perez-Adamson, an Occupational Therapist who works as part of a multi-disciplinary team to care for NICU’s tiny patients said: “It’s been a long but positive journey which started in 2013 and has involved the whole team and a great deal of perseverance. In 2018 we were awarded bronze accreditation and in 2022 we received silver. The charter has given us a framework and the confidence to implement changes which seemed insurmountable. We are empowering parents, listening and involving them in the decision-making process.

“We are particularly proud of our parent passports and our Tiny Talks for parents. These small accessible changes have supported parents to feel more confident to care for their babies. There is lots of enthusiasm to learn and share knowledge within the team. We are looking forward to continuing to work with Bliss on reviewing and improving our practices.”

Tiny Talks are a series of video training guides for new parents to support them to get to grips with the most important aspects of caring for a premature or unwell baby in their own time and available for them to watch 24/7.