Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership Neonatal
Your voice matters in shaping Neonatal care across our community.
1 in 7 babies born will require some type of Neonatal care. Neonatal units are part of hospitals which provide care for babies who maybe born prematurely (before 37 weeks), or unwell at full term (after 37 weeks).
The MNVP has expanded their focus to include Neonatal care to improve on the holistic partnership of birthing and the early infancy journey.
Our Neonatal Lead works closely with the staff on the Neonatal Unit’s Matrons and Fi Care team to integrate with families during and after their journey, this includes visits on the ward as well as attending neonatal groups and regular coffee mornings. Our Neonatal Lead is available to hear your story when families are ready too, we understand it can take some time before you are ready to share.
You said we did
The feedback you anonymously provide on either our surveys or during face-to-face sessions, will be shared in our regular staff meetings and allows us to work on new projects to improve future families’ experiences of the Neonatal Unit. We coordinate with both maternity and neonatal staff with our projects to ensure they are seamlessly inputted.
We have produced Welcome packs for families who receive a post-natal diagnosis of Down Syndrome, which includes personal letter from families who have lived experience as well as links to support groups and local charities.
If you have had a stay on either Neonatal Units you can join their Parent Advisory Group, a group of parents/carers, via their website TVW Parent Advisory Group – Neonatal Network South East
You can find their online feedback surveys here:
Neonatal Family Experience Feedback Survey V4
You can contact the Neonatal Lead at: Kirstymaccuishmnvp@gmail.com
“I would highly recommend the Neonatal unit at Frimley! I have been here for 7 weeks so far with my little lady born at 26+6 and I have to say the nurses are like family and have made our journey so easy! Kaci-lee loves everyone of the ladies here and it will be am achievement but a sad goodbye when it’s time to go home! Such an amazing unit”
Welcome to Frimley and Wexham Neonatal Unit’s
1 in 7 babies born will require some type of Neonatal care. Neonatal units are part of hospitals which provide care for babies who maybe born prematurely (before 37 weeks), or unwell at full term (after 37 weeks).
Having a baby (or babies) taken to neonatal care can be worrying, but the staff looking after your baby should make sure you receive all the information, communication and support you need.
There are different levels of care available depending on how ill or early your baby is, so your baby may be transferred to another hospital if they need special care. More information can be found on the NHS website here Special care: ill or premature babies – NHS
At both our sites Neonatal Unit, we strive to create a nurturing environment where babies can grow and thrive, while empowering families through partnership, education, and emotional support. Together, we ensure the best possible start in life for every child. Being present with your baby on the unit is paramount to your baby’s care as this supports their growth and development. Parents are always welcome on the unit, at any time.
Frimley Park Neonatal
Frimley Hospital has a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) – also referred to as a Level 2 unit
This is the level of care for babies with the highest need for support. Often these babies will have been born before 27 weeks’ gestation, or be very unwell after birth.
You might have been transferred to a different hospital which has a NICU before your baby was born. This is usually because the staff feel your baby would benefit from this level of care, and we know it is safer to transfer your baby before they are born.
Babies are cared for here when they:
- Need breathing support given through their windpipe (called ventilation)
- Have a severe disease affecting their breathing (called respiratory disease)
- Need or have just had surgery
- At a neonatal intensive care unit, all levels of care may also be given to babies from the local area.
You can find out more about our Frimley site here: Frimley Park Hospital Neonatal Unit
Wexham Park Neonatal
Wexham Park Hospital has a Local Neonatal Unit (LNU) – also referred to as a Level 2 unit
Babies who need a higher level of medical and nursing support than that provided in a low dependency unit are cared for here. If your baby was or is expected to be born between 27 and 32 weeks’ gestation you may be transferred to an LNU.
Care on an LNU might include:
- Breathing support given through their windpipe (called ventilation)
- Short-term intensive care
- Care during short periods where they stop breathing (called apnoea)
- ‘Continuous Positive Airway Pressure’ (called CPAP) or ‘high flow therapy’ for breathing support
- Feeding through a drip in their vein (called parenteral nutrition)
- Cooling treatment for babies who have had difficult births or are unwell soon after birth (before being transferred to a neonatal intensive care unit)
- Helping babies who become unwell soon after birth for any reason.
You can find out more about our care at Wexham Park Hospital here: Wexham Park Hospital Neonatal Unit Padlet
Take a tour
You can watch the video tours of both Frimley and Wexham Neonatal units below if you would like to get a sense of the units before your visit.
Outreach Neonatal Support
Once discharged from Neonatal Support, the care does not end there. The unit has an outreach support team who will support you once you are home.
In addition to this there are monthly Weaning sessions, and fortnightly coffee mornings; both held at Penn Road Children’s Centre. You can keep up to date with the dates on their Instagram for Wexham Neonatal Unit here
Give us your feedback
This survey focuses on Frimley’s or Wexham’s Neonatal Unit. Please fill in as many questions as you can as your experience and thoughts are important and will help make a difference.
By taking part in this survey, you are consenting to us using your responses to evaluate services across Frimley’s and Wexham Neonatal Unit, including non-identifiable quotes on social media. All your responses are anonymous.
We will present the findings to the Trust to help improve services. You will not be able to be identified from any of the data or quotes shared.
This survey is for individuals who have had experience on the Neonatal Unit at either Frimley or Wexham Park Hospital in the last four years. If you had experience more than four years ago, your feedback is still important to us; or if you would like to talk about your experience in more depth. Please therefore email us on Kirstymaccuishmnvp@gmail.com