HEREFORD County Hospital’s special care baby unit (SCBU) has £10,000 worth of new equipment, and the feeling is bliss.

The extra breast pumps, new privacy screens, and special parent-baby contact chairs have all been provided by Bliss, the charity for premature and sick babies.

Bliss awarded SCBU a grant from its Baby Charter fund.

To be assessed, SCBU first had to complete the Bliss Baby Charter Audit Tool, which assesses the level of family-centred care the unit already provides and where improvements can be made.

Carol Lamputt, an SCBU ward sister, said: “We are delighted and very grateful to Bliss for these new items that the grant has enabled us to purchase.

“These include extra breast pumps, new privacy screens, and additional specially designed chairs, which enable parents to comfortably hold John Hayward, Herefordshire Carers Support; Kate Moss, Gloucestershire Young Carers; carer Cherry Newton; Rachel Fisher, Carers Gloucestershire; Shaun Clee, 2gether; and carer Doug Stocks.

44 THE HEREFORD TIMES Thursday, April 23, 2015 herefordtimes.com their babies, particularly during skin-to-skin contact”.

Caroline Davey, Chief Executive of Bliss said: “We are thrilled that we have been able to provide the hospital with this money as part of our Baby Charter programme. We hope that the new equipment will aid the unit in continuing to deliver the best possible care and support to special care babies and their families.”

As a charity, Bliss is dedicated to ensuring that all babies born premature and sick have the best possible chance of survival and of reaching their full potential.

They also provide invaluable support to families and encouragement to health professionals.

For more information about Bliss, go to bliss.org.uk or call 0500 618140.