Bath NICU is now committed to making an even more significant and positive difference to the care of premature babies by placing the exemplary clinical and developmental care of them and their families at the centre of our work – making it a beacon for neonatal care in the UK.

We believe that there are benefits to be achieved by combining specialist medicine with a more holistic approach to ways of caring for babies and helping their families – families who can feel powerless to contribute in such hi-tech environments.  As a result, Bath NICU is adopting a philosophy of ‘developmental care’. 

Research into the benefits of this style of care and particular specialist procedures (as opposed to more routine practices) has recognised that key elements, such as reducing light and noise and minimal handling, can benefit the outcomes for premature babies.  For example, at Bath NICU we were the first unit in the UK to use ‘brain cooling’ techniques as standard procedure for brain injured babies.  Environmental factors can also have an unfavourable effect on the development of babies, the well being of their families, not to mention NICU staff working for long periods in the confines of an enclosed unit.

We believe that exemplary clinical and developmental care in the right environment is critical to babies growing and developing successfully and at a quicker pace – leading to them and their families spending less time in the Unit before they are ready to go home, and with improved long term outcomes for all. 

As a leading NICU in the UK - that is our aim!