City's neonatal unit gets £100k makeover

The unit has been revamped to include a sensory room for newborns

Families will benefit from upgraded facilities at Hull's neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), a charity said.

The unit, within Hull Women and Children’s Hospital, off Anlaby Road, now includes a sensory room for newborns, dedicated facilities for families and a specialist staff training area.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust's own charity, WISHH, raised the cash required to fund the improvements through its Space to Grow appeal.

Sue Lockwood, the charity's chair, said: “Hull NICU cares for over 500 premature babies each year, some stay for hours or days, others for many months. The improvements needed for this valuable local facility could only have come about through fundraising."

The charity said work was "now complete" and thanked all the donors for their "incredible generosity".

NICU manager Francesca Matthews said: “The new enhanced facilities are helping us deliver greater care."

Up to 500 babies a year will benefit from improved facilities in the unit, say managers

She described the rooms and facilities as "wonderful" spaces, which had been well received by families, for whom visiting times had been "increased from five hours a day to eight-and-a-half hours a day".

Ms Matthews added: “As we now have a specialist training space, we can teach both clinical and non-clinical staff working in the neonatal team, and it’s still close to the clinical area. We’ve been able to undertake simulation training, induction and clinical skills stations.

"The environment enables us to recreate the clinical area setting for teaching and learning without disrupting direct patient care."

Feedback about the upgrade from families has been "fantastic", said Ms Matthews.

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