NORTH DEVON District Hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit has been awarded with a grant from the Bliss Baby Charter Grants Fund for a phenomenal £10,000 towards neo natal equipment.
The grant has enabled the Unit to purchase five specialist breast pumps, a variety of developmental care aids, gel cushions, baby soothers and some toys for siblings to play with while their parents are caring for their new baby on the Unit.
Deputy Ward Manager & Senior Staff Nurse Charlotte Woollacott said “We are delighted to receive the Bliss grant. It has meant that we have been able to purchase some additional breast pumps which our mothers find easy to use and will help us to provide the very best care we can.”
Two of the breast pumps will be loaned to new mums to borrow for home expression while their babies are being treated in the unit. Because Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust covers a wide geographic location of 950 square miles, travel is difficult for some parents to make frequent trips to the hospital. Loaning mums with a breast pump means they can express their milk regularly so they can give their baby the very best start in their life.
The equipment needed was identified by the Special Care Baby Unit neonatal staff and parents.
Fundraiser Julie Whitton said “It is important to the hospital that we give our mothers and their families the very best care and support we can during an emotional and stressful time. The Bliss grant of £10,000 has helped us to raise £90,000 towards our £250,000 target to support our sickest and most vulnerable babies being treated at North Devon District Hospital. It is the support by local people in North Devon and grants such as Bliss that we will be able to provide our SCBU unit with equipment “Over and Above” what the NHS can provide.”