A £3 million development at Bradford Royal Infirmary would create a much needed “home from home” for families of babies in intensive care.
A new planning application has revealed proposals for a new accommodation block at the hospital’s Neonatal facility that will allow families “to stay close to their babies during an incredibly challenging time.”
The development is expected to cost £3m, and the Bradford Hospitals Charity will work with The Sick Children’s Trust to raise the cash for the works – with a major fundraiser to be launched later this year.
Once completed, the facility will be run by the Sick Children’s Trust and will double the amount of neonatal unit beds in the hospital.
If plans are approved by Bradford Council, the 309 square metre facility will be built on a vacant space at the Smith Lane site of the hospital – next to the maternity unit.
Explaining the need for accommodation, the application says: “The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit provides expert clinical care to babies born at the extreme limits of gestational age and those born critically unwell.
“On average the unit admits around 500 babies per year.
“The application proposal represents an important piece of development for the hospital’s neonatal services, offering much needed respite and support to parents and families that often have to travel extended distances to be with their child.”
The building will include five en-suite rooms for relatives, a family room, a kitchen/dining area, and a laundry room. Outside there will be an outdoor terrace with seating and an informal play space.
As well as the new facilities, there will be some changes to the existing neonatal unit, including a new rooming-in bedroom and end of life room, a consultation room, a prayer room and ensuite toilet.
The application says: “These improvements to the existing unit in tandem with the proposed new development will facilitate significant enhancement to the neonatal unit’s services.
The application says: “The development will supplement the limited number of bedrooms currently within the existing neonatal building, which are in much demand as a result of a growing local population and allow parents to be close to their newborns at a critical stage.
“It will provide much needed accommodation for parents who have babies within the neonatal facility, who are often in need of accommodation for a couple of days through to a timespan of several months.
“The building should be a ‘home from home’ so parents can retreat from the intense clinical environment to refresh physically, mentally, and emotionally when required, whilst remaining nearby in case needing to return to the ICU department at short notice.”
Urging planners to approve the development, the application concludes “The Trust can only currently offer overnight accommodation to the families of their most critically ill babies.
“The application proposal represents an essential piece of development for the successful provision of family support, with the proposed scheme enabling the Trust to offer support, amenity and accommodation to the families of all babies admitted to their Intensive Care Unit, reducing the burden of expenses and travel at a highly stressful time.”
A spokesperson for Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which submitted the application, said: “Bradford Hospitals Charity, the official NHS charity partner of the Trust, is raising funds to create a ‘home from home’ for families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Bradford Royal Infirmary.
“This much-needed facility will help keep families together by providing them with a comfortable and supportive space to stay close to their babies during an incredibly challenging time. It will involve a refurbishment and expansion of the current unit to include additional en-suite bedrooms, refurbished living spaces, a kitchen, and a tranquil garden area, as well as play space for older siblings.
“The development will cost approx. £3m to build and Bradford Hospitals Charity is working in partnership with The Sick Children’s Trust to raise funds for this project. The Sick Children’s Trust will run the facility once it is built.
“The charity will be sharing more about the plans later this year as it prepares to launch a major fundraising appeal in late October/early November.”
A decision on the application is expected in October.
By: Chris Young, LDRS
