Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is celebrating after the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at St Peter’s Hospital achieved Platinum Bliss Baby Charter accreditation, the highest level of recognition awarded by neonatal charity Bliss.

St Peter’s is currently the only Level 3 neonatal unit in England to hold this accreditation, recognising its outstanding commitment to family-integrated care for premature and sick babies and their families.

Bliss assessors praised the exceptional family-integrated care, including transformative feeding support, compassionate and culturally sensitive bereavement services, comprehensive psychological support, and practical initiatives such as on-site childcare that help families remain closely involved in their baby’s care.

It also praised the unit’s inclusive and welcoming environment, recognising family-focused facilities and refurbishment plans, accessible information, multilingual support, and strong commitment to meeting the diverse needs of every family.

Dr Benedicta Agbagwara-Osuji, director of midwifery, said: “Securing Platinum Bliss Baby Charter accreditation is a remarkable accomplishment, particularly for a Level 3 neonatal unit caring for some of the smallest and sickest babies. The rigorous assessment reflects the outstanding dedication of our neonatal team and their unwavering commitment to family-integrated care.”

Dr Vennila Ponnusamy, neonatal unit clinical lead, added: “I am incredibly proud of our neonatal team and the wider network of support staff, including the Little Roo Charity and parent peer supporters.”

Bliss trustee Neil James said: “As a parent whose child was cared for in the neonatal unit at St Peter’s, my sincere congratulations to the whole team on this well-deserved achievement. The Bliss Baby Charter is a valuable tool to improve standards on neonatal units.”

While the award recognises the high standards achieved, the team remain committed to listening to families, learning from their experiences and working closely with support organisations to continue improving services and delivering the best care for every baby and family who comes through the unit.