Open Day at West Suffolk Hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit

9^th May 2003

Media invitation

Date: Wednesday 21^st May

Time: 12.30-2pm

Venue: SCBU, West Suffolk Hospital, Bury St Edmunds

The Special Care Baby Unit at the West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds is holding an Open Day on Wednesday 21^st May.

Babies born prematurely or who for other reasons are unwell are looked after in the Special Care Baby Unit.  The unit currently provides services to care for Intensive, High Dependency and Special Care Babies.

The 12-cot Unit has recently been reconfigured and is benefiting from the addition of a new Family Room for parents. Airconditioning has been installed, making life more comfortable for staff and visitors during the summer. 

“For any parent to have a baby in the Special Care Baby Unit is obviously a stressful experience,” said Patricia Davis, Head of Midwifery. “Although they know their baby is in the right place getting the best care possible, it is still a worrying time. Being in a pleasant environment with good facilities will go some way towards making the parents’ experience less traumatic.

“Having a Family Room is very important, as it gives parents a place to be on their own and support each other whilst still remaining close to their baby. If they want to, parents can sleep over to be near to their baby.

“We are indebted to fundraisers from the local community for providing this facility through money donated to the Rainbow Appeal.  We hope that people who kindly donated money will come to visit the Special Care Baby Unit to see how their money has been spent.”