Gold accreditation for NICU at the Luton and Dunstable University Hospital

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Luton and Dunstable University Hospital (L&D) becomes the first hospital in the East of England region to achieve gold accreditation for the Bliss Baby Charter.

The unit, which looks after the most premature and sickest babies, has been awarded the Bliss Baby Charter gold accreditation, after nearly six years of hard work and commitment.

The Bliss Baby Charter provides a practical framework for neonatal units to self-assess the quality of family-centred care they deliver. It enables units to audit their practices and develop meaningful plans to achieve changes that benefit babies and their families.

After submitting three audits, having an assessment and external assessors visit the unit, the first gold accreditation in the East of England was awarded to the L&D’s NICU, the ninth unit in the whole of the UK.

Claire Adamson, Operational Manager and Lead Nurse Neonatal Services at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are so proud to have received gold accreditation for the Bliss Baby Charter, it’s is an incredible achievement for our unit and showcases our commitment to family-centred care. We will continue to strive to do our best for all of our families and babies coming through the unit.”

Liz Lees, Chief Nurse at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “It has been a challenging few years for the team in the neonatal unit, and this achievement really recognises all the hard work and determination from every member of staff in the unit.”