New NICU Family Accommodation Opens

October 10th 2012

Local parents whose babies are born prematurely or critically ill at Salisbury District Hospital can now stay on the Neonatal Unit where their baby is being cared for.

Generous Stars Appeal supporters have enabled us to fund the £350,000 Joan Stainer Family Accommodation Unit attached directly to the Neonatal Unit. Consisting of four en-suite bedrooms, playroom, lounge, kitchen, quiet room and multi-purpose education room, the Family Unit will be a lifeline to parents with babies who often need months of hospital treatment before being well enough to go home.

The new facilities will dramatically increase the time parents can spend with their babies, helping them to bond, establish feeding sooner and help baby get better more quickly. It will be a place where siblings can meet their new baby brother or sister in a home like environment. Somewhere where families can be together whilst their baby is in Hospital, but that will also speed the process of those families getting back home sooner.

Please take a moment to view the photos below and watch the ITV News report about this project here

One of the four en-suite bedrooms

Playroom for siblings


Multi-purpose and education room


Parents’ Lounge
     

One of the four en-suite bedrooms


  The Family Unit has its own dedicated entrance for parents
     

One of the four en-suites
 

Decked area & garden provides much needed outdoor space


Lounge
 

Playroom


In addition to the Family Unit, Stars Appeal supporters have contributed a further £50,000 towards enhancements in the new Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, including the furnishing of four ‘Kangaroo Care’ rooms where mums and babies can sleep side by side.

The Stars Appeal is hugely grateful to everybody who supported this project. Thank you.

We continue to fundraise to support the work of NICU, the family unit and maternity through the Stars Appeal’s Little Lives Fund