Assessment shows neonatal unit at St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester gives excellent care

The unit in the Chichester hospital has successfully completed its Bliss Baby Charter accreditation and has demonstrated that it has both sufficient processes and facilities in place to deliver high-quality family-centred care.

Zita Warren, Matron at St Richard’s, said: “It means so much to me as a Matron as it shows that we as a team are striving continually to get families involved in their baby’s care. It also demonstrates how hard our team work continuously to make a vital difference to our babies and families’ experiences. It shows that our team is committed and passionate by achieving this prestigious award.”

The recent Bliss assessment revealed that staff at St Richard’s Hospital ‘are dedicated to providing the best possible service in line with the principles of family centred care outlined in the Bliss Baby Charter’.

It said: “The consistency of care received by all parents was clearly shown on the day, with every parent interviewed confirming that they had been made to feel extremely special by the staff, as well as always being supported to be involved in their baby’s care and decision making, with one parent stating, ‘nothing was too much trouble’.”

A spokesman for the unit said that supporting the family unit as a whole is a key focus for the Chichester Hospital and this was shown to be a priority despite challenging circumstances due to Covid-19.

“We were delighted to see St Richard’s commitment to continued improvement and we look forward to seeing how their unit continues to develop,” they said.

Kimberley Rogers, mother to premature twins Amelie and Reuben who were cared for on the unit, said: “St Richard’s neonatal family centred unit was my world for nine weeks. The staff caring for my 3.5-month premature twins were my family and I was totally reliant upon them to keep my babies alive.

“Day and night, their dedication and professionalism helped me to become confident looking after my twins covered with wires and tubes and learn how to tube feed then breastfeed and administer medicine so I felt involved in their care too.

“They celebrated every little positive milestone with me as if it were the first babies they had ever cared for and helped support me when there were minor setbacks with understanding and compassion. The whole team really are fantastic - thank you.”

The news comes as proposals are considered which will see the much-loved unit ‘down-graded’ and redesignated from its current status as a Local Neonatal Unit which looks after babies from 27 weeks gestation to a Special Care Unit which takes babies from 32 weeks.

Those babies which would no longer be able to be cared for at St Richard’s would be transferred elsewhere with the bulk going to Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth.

For the full story read this: Chichester hospital’s neonatal unit could be downgraded

Last week county councillors were told the proposed change at the Chichester hospital was ‘about safety and quality, not money’.

A consultation period is set to take place.

For the full story read this: ‘Redesignation’ of Chichester hospital unit ‘about meeting national standards’

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