The Oliver Fisher Neonatal Unit at Medway Maritime Hospital has received a prestigious award for its work and ongoing commitment to increase breastfeeding rates and improve care for families and babies on the unit.
Following a thorough assessment process, which included interviews with parents, families, colleagues, and managers, a tour of the unit and a review of its resources, the unit was awarded Level 3 accreditation under the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI). In order to achieve the milestone, the unit had to evidence how it:
- supports women to recognise the importance of breastfeeding and to continue breastfeeding for as long as they wish
- helps women to make informed decisions regarding the introduction of food or fluids other than breastmilk
- improves the care mothers and babies receive on the unit
- helps families build close and loving relationships with their baby.
The report, which was produced following the visit in January 2024, said: “The Oliver Fisher Neonatal Unit has met all of the criteria relating to Stage 3 accreditation and the staff are commended for the efforts made. It was clear to the assessment team that parents with a baby on the neonatal unit receive a very high standard of care.”
A plaque and certificate to commemorate their achievement will be sent to the team in the coming weeks for them to display on the unit.
Sarah Clarke, Matron of the neonatal unit, said: “I’m extremely proud of the whole team for achieving Level 3 accreditation under the scheme.
“We have been working towards the award since we achieved Level 2 in August 2022, and it reflects our ongoing commitment to increase breastfeeding rates and improve care for all mothers and babies on the unit.
“Some of the things we have done which led to us achieving Level 3 include the staff receiving Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) introductory and yearly training which is provided by our BFI lead nurses on the unit, and improving the service user’s experience. This includes carrying out family-led ward rounds to ensure families are involved in their baby’s care, food and drink for families, and recliner chairs and breast pumps at each cot side to encourage families to spend as much time with their baby as possible. Funding for the coffee room and the reclining chairs was provided by the Oliver Fisher Special Care Baby Trust which supports the neonatal unit.
“All families are also encouraged to have skin-to-skin contact with their baby as soon as their baby’s clinical condition allows to help them develop close and loving relationships.”
Claire Dawson, from the hospital’s Infant Feeding Team, said: “Breastfeeding protects babies against a wide range of serious illnesses, including gastroenteritis and respiratory infections in infancy, as well as cardiovascular disease, asthma, diabetes and obesity later in life. We also know that breastfeeding reduces the mother’s risk of some cancers, and that it supports the mental health of both mother and baby.
“On the unit, we make every effort to support families to form a close and loving relationship, whatever their choice of feeding method, as this is the best start for every baby.”
Part of a global programme, The Baby Friendly Initiative aims to transform healthcare for babies, their mothers and families as part of a wider global partnership between UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO). In the UK, the BFI works with public services to better support families with feeding and developing close, loving relationships to ensure that all babies get the best possible start in life. The award is given to health facilities/hospitals/universities after an extensive assessment by a UNICEF UK team has shown that recognised best practice standards are in place.
To ensure standards are embedded and maintained, the unit will be reassessed every two years under the scheme.
Anne Woods, UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative’s Deputy Programme Director, said: “We are delighted that The Oliver Fisher Neonatal Unit has achieved full Baby Friendly status.
“Our work to support breastfeeding is based on extensive and resounding evidence that breastfeeding saves lives, improves health and cuts costs in every country worldwide, rich and poor alike. Families on the unit can be confident that the neonatal team will provide high standards of care.”
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