Nurses awarded for infant safer sleep initiative

Nurses Ashleigh Hall and Kirstie Orr are leading the hospital's safer sleep project

Nurses at a hospital's emergency department have won a national award for their work to reduce the risk of sudden infant death.

The team at Leighton Hospital won the Critical and Emergency Care Nursing award at the 2025 Nursing Times Awards following the success of a project that delivers safer sleep education to families while their children are in A&E.

Bosses at the hospital in Crewe, Cheshire, said staff were praised for their compassionate, non-judgemental and collaborative approach.

The initiative was launched in 2024 and has delivered advice to more than 800 parents and carers.

"With strong potential for replication in other organisations across the UK, this project empowers families and healthcare teams alike, reducing harm and the risk of sudden infant death," the award citation said.

The advice includes:

• Always place your baby on their back to sleep

• Keep your baby, or any baby you're caring for, in the same room as you when they're sleeping until they're at least six months old

• Keep your baby's head uncovered – tuck your baby's blanket under their arms so the blanket cannot move and cover their head

• If wearing your baby in a sling or carrier, make sure you use it safely

• Place your baby in the 'feet to foot' position, with their feet touching the end of the cot or Moses basket

• Do not let your baby get too hot or cold

• Never sleep with your baby on a sofa or armchair

• Do not co-sleep with your baby if you (or anyone in the bed) smokes, has drunk alcohol or taken drugs or medicine that make you feel drowsy

• Do not smoke when you're pregnant or around your baby after they're born, and do not let anyone smoke in the same room as your baby

The safe sleeping project was an initative by emergency department staff at Leighton Hospital in Crewe

The project was led by emergency department paediatric nurses Ashleigh Hall and Kirstie Orr.

"Safer sleep advice is hugely important and being able to offer that guidance face-to-face, while families are already with us in the emergency department means we can make a real difference," Ms Hall said.

Ms Orr added: "As a team, we want to deliver those messages in the most beneficial ways possible because ultimately this can help to prevent avoidable tragedies."

More information on safer sleep advice can be found on the NHS website.