Unicef re-accredits Great Western Hospital as baby friendly

The Great Western Hospital in Swindon has received full accreditation again from Unicef's Baby Friendly Initiative after a recent assessment.

Accreditation lasts for 18 months before it needs to be reassessed.

Infant Feeding Specialist Midwife Cathy Gale says: "We are very pleased; our maternity and neonatal teams have been working hard to get re-accredited and it involved looking at several departments' input into the journey through the hospital for new parents."

All maternity and neonatal staff at the hospital have a training update each year to keep up with any new knowledge and research.

Great Western also aims to promote and support breastfeeding through the national Breastfeeding Welcome Scheme and has a dedicated room for mothers to breastfeed or express milk, including those visiting the women's outpatients department and staff who return to work after having a baby.

The trust is now working on achieving a separate Baby Friendly accreditation for its special care baby unit.