Southampton hospital is first to be honoured for family-friendly neonatal care

The neonatal intensive care unit at Southampton’s Princess Anne Hospital has become the first in the UK to gain official Bliss Baby Charter accreditation for its family-centred care for premature and sick babies.

In a ceremony held on the unit Caroline Davey, Chief Executive of Bliss, presented staff with a plaque and certificate marking their achievement, which follows a two-year process of audit, action and evaluation involving both health professionals and parents of babies needing neonatal care.

“I am delighted to recognise the ongoing dedication of staff on this neonatal unit to putting babies and their families at the heart of everything they do,” says Caroline. “Their approach has won them the first ever Bliss Baby Charter accreditation but, more import- antly, is making a vital difference every single day to all the babies they care for, as well as their parents and families. I look forward to seeing other neonatal units around the country follow the example of the Princess Anne Hospital in achieving this mark of excellence.”