FRIDAY, 15 NOVEMBER, 2019

Photographs attached: Neonatal Intensive Care Team at the World Prematurity Day information stand at NInewells Hospital

NHS Tayside supports World Prematurity Day

Staff from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) hosted an information stand on the concourse at Ninewells Hospital today (Friday) in support of World Prematurity Day.

World Prematurity Day was first celebrated in 2011 to raise awareness for the millions of children born prematurely across the world. It has been celebrated every year since then and this year it falls on Sunday, 17 November.

This year the campaign encourages people to show their support by wearing purple and in recognition World Prematurity Day several local landmarks In Dundee are being highlighted purple including the V&A, Slessor Gardens, the train station and Sleeperz Hotel, RSS Discovery Point and Caird Hall.

In Scotland approximately 6,000 babies are born premature or sick every year. To help raise awareness of World Prematurity Day, staff from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit were wearing purple and hosted an information stand on the concourse.

NICU senior charge nurse Alison Findlay, said, “The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit sees around 550 admissions every year, the majority of these babies being born premature.

“World Prematurity Day is important as it raises awareness of babies born prematurely and the effect this can have on parents and families.

“There is no single cause for babies being born prematurely and when it happens it can be an extremely anxious time for parents and their families and friends. Neonatal staff are committed to supporting families every step of the way to involve them in the day-to-day care of their baby so they feel they are part of the ward team from the moment their baby is admitted to the unit.

“World Prematurity Day is a significant day and we were pleased that so many members of the public took the time to visit our stand on the concourse.”

Members of the public were able to find out more about premature labour and preterm babies and the impact this can have on families. Staff were happy to chat about the work of NICU at Ninewells and the specialist care the team provides to preterm babies and the support they give to families.

Joining NICU staff on the information stand were representatives from the charity BLISS which provides support to premature babies and their families right across Scotland and the UK. A representative from the charity Octopals also assisted providing information on what the charity does and how people can get involved. The charity donates knitted octopuses to the unit at Ninewells which have been specially created for babies to hold, providing comfort when they are in the incubators.

Notes to editors:

• Preterm is defined as babies born alive before 37 weeks of pregnancy are completed. 

Contact:

Anna Michie

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 424138