WEDNESDAY, 27 SEPTEMBER, 2023

PHOTO ATTACHED: Pictured with the Bliss Charter Gold Award are staff from the Neonatal Unit (back l-r)Hayley McDonald senior nurse, Ali Findlay receptionist, Kelly Cockburn neonatal nurse educator, Deryn Duncan charge nurse, Dr Kathleen Brown paediatric neonatal consultant, Dr Lorna McKerracher neonatal consultant and Emma Webber consultant clinical psychologist

(front l-r) Tanya Dunbar neonatal community nurse, Michelle Bayne senior charge nurse and Alison Wright senior nurse 

Bliss Gold Award for NHS Tayside Neonatal Unit

The Neonatal Unit at Ninewells Hospital has been awarded the prestigious Bliss Baby Charter Gold Award in recognition of the high quality and outstanding family-centred care delivered by the staff in the unit.

The team were delighted to receive their award as the unit at Ninewells is the second facility in the Scotland to have achieved gold accreditation.

The Bliss Baby Charter was developed by Bliss, a national charity which supports sick and premature babies and their families, to standardise care in neonatal units across the country and to encourage a family-centred approach and parent involvement in their baby’s care.

Through the accreditation process, Bliss recognises and rewards excellence in the family-centred care delivered by neonatal units all the while supporting units to improve their practice. The Bliss Baby Charter helps hospitals caring for premature and sick babies to assess the quality of care they provide and identify areas for improvement. 

The Neonatal Unit at Ninewells was assessed virtually by Bliss representatives, healthcare professional assessors and a parent assessor. The assessment team were able to complete an online tour of the unit, review relevant documentation as well as have the opportunity to interview staff and parents.

The assessors reported on the unit’s bright welcoming environment and many of the sensitive design details such as the patterned light boxes to gently light the way for parents and staff at night in place of the bright hospital lights.

The charity’s rigorous assessment praised the strong team culture that has built up mutual trust and respect between staff and families. Feedback from parents showed they felt well supported and cared for and that their babies were receiving the best possible care.

The Bliss assessors commented that team leaders in the Neonatal Unit were passionate and dedicated offering good guidance to colleagues with a strong emphasis on families being a part of the care team. The team support skin-to-skin contact as early as possible and ensure families have the information to make choices around their babies care.

Alison Wright, Senior Nurse Neonatal Service said, "Staff in the Neonatal Unit at Ninewells are very proud to have achieved this award. We receive regular positive feedback from families praising the care that the team provide and the Bliss accreditation is a formal recognition of this.

“As a team we are absolutely focused and passionate about delivering family-centred care on a daily basis. The Neonatal Unit has already have been accredited with UNICEF Baby Friendly at Level 3 and having this Bliss Baby Charter Gold Award is the icing on the cake."

Extensive research has shown that putting families at the heart of their baby's care is hugely beneficial. For babies, it can lower stress levels, improve long-term health outcomes, shorten hospital stays and reduce hospital readmissions. For parents, it helps promote bonding with their baby, and improves their confidence as a parent. For professionals, it can help improve relations between parents and staff, as well as freeing up nursing time, increasing productivity and boosting staff morale.

Contact:

Anna Michie

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 424138