The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Burnley General Teaching Hospital hosted the grand opening of brand new accommodation for bereaved parents which has been named The Forget Me Not Suite. The event took place on the unit where staff and parents were invited to see the new facilities.
The Forget Me Not Suite provides families with the opportunity to spend precious time with their baby and to prepare to say goodbye to their little one in a peaceful and private environment. Set away from the main ward area, the suite is a place for families to make special memories and begin to grieve their loss whilst being supported by neonatal trained staff.
The space, which contains a double bed, facilities to ventilate Baby, a cold cot and ensuite, was funded by £44,000 in Capital funds and £8,000 in charitable funds from the hospital’s charity, ELHT&Me. Mark Riley, the Capital Team Project Manager, was congratulated for recreating NICU’s vision for the accommodation.
Dr Sivashankar, Neonatal Consultant said: “This suite is a significant part of our service and contributes greatly to compassionate patient care. We have already seen the impact our bereavement suites have and how important they are to our patients. Thank you to everybody who donated and helped to make this possible.”