Refurbished neonatal unit opens in Jersey

The neonatal unit at the Jersey general hospital has been refurbished

Refurbished hospital facilities will provide better support for families with premature babies, a Jersey charity says.

Jersey general hospital's neonatal unit has been revamped with new equipment and a new layout.

As a result the Jersey Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) has renamed itself the Jersey Neonatal Unit (JNU).

Charity Friends of SCBU has become Friends of Jersey Neonatal Unit, in line with the improvements.

Vic Pearce, from the charity, said the new facilities would be a great improvement for all.

"It's just amazing to see such clean, fresh space, it'll be great for any babies that need to come in here and much more privacy for families, it will bring so much to the unit," she said.

Families who had babies cared for by the previous unit were invited to see its new facilities

Jersey health minister Karen Wilson said young lives would be improved by the newly refurbished unit.

She said: "What we've got... [is] the most up to date technology available that helps people do that work, but it also is really good in terms of looking after the care of the children and their babies who come into this unit.

"It's improved the clinical safety, it's also provided a much calmer environment and a more open environment where parents can be with their children and also it's provided a facility that staff can actually enjoy working in."

Mother Gemma Pallotová thinks the improvements will make a big difference for babies like hers.

She said: "Janus is four months old, he had infections and needs that extra support from infections or you not eating great and things.

"To see this unit compared to the old unit, I just think the staff are going to have so much space to be able to get all the babies in, such a transformation."

Follow BBC Jersey on Twitter and Facebook. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].