The Royal Hospital for Children (RHC) in Glasgow has taken the first step towards achieving UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative accreditation, reinforcing its commitment to providing the highest standards of care and support for babies, children and their families.
Last week, Jamie Redfern, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Director of Women’s and Children’s Services and Baby Friendly Guardian, and RHC Chief Nurse Mandy Meechan signed the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative Certificate of Commitment alongside Neonatal Infant Feeding Team Lead Gillian Bowker and Infant Feeding Advisor Elise Miller.
The Certificate of Commitment is the first award in the Baby Friendly accreditation journey and recognises an organisation’s dedication to delivering evidence-based care that supports infant feeding, parent-infant relationships and family-centred care.
The move builds on the success of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s neonatal units at the Royal Hospital for Children and Princess Royal Maternity Hospital, which are already fully accredited with UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative Gold and Achieving Sustainability standards. All of NHSGGC’s maternity services are also fully accredited.
The Royal Hospital for Children will now work towards embedding the Baby Friendly standards across its wider services.
The UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative programme is recognised across the UK for helping healthcare services provide consistent, evidence-based support for families, ensuring babies have the best possible start in life.
The standards focus on three key areas:
- Enabling babies to continue breastfeeding and/or receive breastmilk where possible.
- Implementing evidence-based practices around the introduction of foods or fluids other than breastmilk.
- Supporting close and loving relationships while recognising parents and carers as partners in care.
Staff across the hospital will now continue developing and embedding these standards as part of a phased programme towards full accreditation.
Elise Miller, Infant Feeding Adviser, said: “Achieving the Certificate of Commitment is an important milestone for the Royal Hospital for Children and reflects our shared ambition to provide the very best support to babies, children and families.
“We know that infant feeding, responsive caregiving and strong parent-child relationships can have a lasting impact on health and wellbeing. By working towards Baby Friendly accreditation across the wider hospital, we can build on the excellent work already taking place within our neonatal and maternity services and ensure families receive consistent, evidence-based support throughout their care journey.
“This is about creating an environment where parents feel informed, supported and valued as partners in their child’s care, helping every child get the best possible start in life.”
The Baby Friendly journey at the Royal Hospital for Children has been supported by Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity through ongoing funding and awareness initiatives, including their ongoing support of Breastfeeding Awareness Week.
The Certificate of Commitment marks the beginning of the accreditation process, with the Royal Hospital for Children now progressing through the next stages of UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative assessment and development.
Jamie Redfern, Director of Women’s and Children’s Services and Baby Friendly Guardian, said: “Our neonatal teams have already demonstrated what can be achieved through their commitment to the Baby Friendly standards, earning national recognition through Gold and Achieving Sustainability accreditation.
“Signing this Certificate of Commitment marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the Royal Hospital for Children. It reflects our determination to extend those principles across the wider hospital and continue improving the experience of babies, children and families who access our services.
“We are committed to ensuring that every family receives compassionate, evidence-based care and support, and this programme provides an excellent framework to help us achieve that.”
