The Special Care Baby Unit

The Special Care Baby Unit at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital provides respiratory and feeding support and stabilisation for babies born under 34 weeks until they can be safely transported to NICU in Southampton, all while ensuring the families feel supported and ready for when their baby comes home. 
‘The relationship built between the nurses and my girls is something I will forever be grateful for, said nominator Emma Rees, whose twins were born at 26 weeks last December and spent five and a half months in Southampton.
‘They loved them like they were their own, helping them to grow stronger every day. Nothing was ever too much for them. They advocated for my girls and made sure that they had everything they needed.
‘Having a premature baby, let alone two, is not something anyone ever plans for – it’s a rollercoaster of emotions. We couldn’t have done this without all the love and support from the neonatal nurses. ‘Not only do they build relationships with the babies but they form an incredibly strong bond with parents too, helping to make our time in hospital less daunting.’ 
The nurses made sure Miss Rees was comfortable and confident enough to take her girls home on oxygen, to draw up medication, to change tubes, and more. ‘They will forever hold a special place in our hearts because we couldn’t have done this without them, they are such a special group of people and we are lucky to have had them in our lives.
‘The ward is designed differently than those in the UK, so there’s a lot more one-to-one time with the parents, which I’m proud of,’ said manager Rosanna Patterson. ‘We provide lots more family-centred care, which makes the ward special.’