Lighting up the RUH for premature babies

We're lighting up the front of the RUH in purple this weekend to help support World Prematurity Day 2018.

We're joining hospitals from all over the UK and worldwide to raise awareness of premature birth and the sometimes devastating impact it can have on families.

Sarah Merritt, Trust Head of Nursing and Midwifery, said: "We understand the difficulties facing babies born prematurely and the emotional pressures that their parents and families have to cope with. Talking about and raising awareness of this global issue is really important and can be a big help to those affected."

The Dyson Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the RUH is designed to provide a beneficial healing environment for babies and reduce stress levels experienced by their parents.

The unit provides care for premature and sick newborn babies. Approximately 10% of all babies will need admission to a neonatal unit, commonly because of prematurity, infection, breathing difficulties or feeding problems.

The unit has 21 cots, and we have facilities for parents including 4 double ensuite bedrooms, a breast milk expressing room, a parents coffee room, quiet room, a play area for siblings and a garden.

World Prematurity Day is on 17th November and the RUH will be lit up to mark the movement until Sunday the 19th.

Note:

• Around the world, 15 million babies are born prematurely every year and one million of these will not survive. Sadly, prematurity is the leading cause of death in children under five.
  
  
• In the UK 95,000 babies are born every year needing neonatal care.

ENDS

Notes to Editor

• The Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust provides acute treatment and care for a catchment population of around 500,000 people in Bath, and the surrounding towns and villages in North East Somerset and Western Wiltshire. The hospital provides healthcare to the population served by four Clinical Commissioning Groups: Bath & North East Somerset CCG, Wiltshire CCG, Somerset CCG and South Gloucestershire CCG.
• The Trust has 759 beds and a comprehensive range of acute services including medicine and surgery, services for women and children, accident and emergency services, and diagnostic and clinical support services.
• In 2015 The Royal United Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust acquired the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases (RNHRD) NHS Foundation Trust. The RNHRD treats patients from across the country offering services in rheumatology, chronic pain, chronic fatigue syndrome/ME, cancer related fatigue and fatigue linked to other long term conditions such as multiple sclerosis.
• The RUH is changing - we have an exciting programme of redevelopment underway transforming our site and further improving the services we provide. The Trust is building a purpose built RNHRD and Therapies Centre and is now working towards a new Dyson Cancer Centre. For more details visit: www.ruh.nhs.uk/fit4future

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