Darlington Memorial Hospital's Neonatal Service has become the first Special Care Baby Unit in the Northern Neonatal Network to achieve the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative Neonatal Accreditation, marking the end of a four-year journey to transform how the unit cares for premature and sick babies and their families.
A first for the region
The award was presented at Darlington Memorial Hospital, where County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust's Chief Executive, Steve Russell, and Director of Nursing, Gill Hunt, unveiled the unit's Baby Friendly plaque in recognition of the team's commitment to family-centred neonatal care.
The UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative is an internationally recognised programme that sets standards of best practice for the care of babies, mothers and families. Accreditation is only awarded following a rigorous independent assessment, and Darlington's Neonatal Service is now the first unit of its kind in the Northern Neonatal Network to hold it.
Four years in the making
The journey began in 2021 and involved wide-ranging changes to policies, staff training and day-to-day ways of working across the unit. Following a successful assessment earlier this year, the team achieved full accreditation in February 2026.
Among the changes introduced along the way:
Supporting parents to spend as much time as possible with their baby
Creating more family-friendly facilities on the unit
Encouraging early skin-to-skin contact between parents and baby
Introducing parent-led ward rounds, so families are directly involved in decisions about their baby's care
Supporting mothers to provide breastmilk for premature and sick babies, helping to strengthen their baby's immune system
At the heart of the accreditation is a shift in culture: recognising parents as their baby's primary caregivers, not just visitors to the unit, from the earliest possible moment.
"This accreditation is about so much more"
Gail McAllister, Neonatal Sister, Infant Feeding Lead and UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative Project Lead at the Trust, has led much of the work behind the accreditation.
"Receiving this accreditation is an incredibly proud moment for our whole team," she said. "It reflects four years of hard work, commitment and collaboration to improve the experience of babies and their families during what can be one of the most challenging times in their lives."
She added that although supporting breastfeeding and breastmilk is an important part of the Baby Friendly standards, the accreditation reflects a much broader culture change on the unit.
"We've worked hard to create a culture where parents are recognised as their baby's primary caregivers, are fully involved in decisions about their baby's care, and feel supported to build close, loving relationships with their baby from the very beginning," she said. "Achieving the accreditation isn't the end of our journey, it's our foundation. We're committed to continuing to develop the service and ensuring every family receives the very best care and support."
Gill Hunt, Director of Nursing at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, praised the team's dedication.
"I'm incredibly proud of our Neonatal team for achieving this prestigious accreditation," she said. "Becoming the first Special Care Baby Unit in the Northern Neonatal Network to receive this recognition is a fantastic achievement and reflects years of dedication, innovation and commitment to improving care for babies and their families. This award demonstrates our commitment to delivering compassionate, family-centred care and ensuring parents are supported and involved throughout their baby's journey. I'd like to congratulate everyone who has contributed to this outstanding achievement."
A parent's experience
Amy Coglan, whose daughter Nancy was cared for on the unit, described the difference the team's approach made to her family.
"From the moment our baby Nancy was admitted, we felt welcomed and supported," she said. "The team made sure we were involved in every decision and encouraged us to be part of our baby's care from day one. The support we have received, particularly around expressing and breastfeeding, has been amazing. The whole team have made an incredibly difficult time feel much less overwhelming, and we'll always be grateful for the kindness and support we received."
What happens next
Accreditation isn't a one-off badge. The Neonatal Service will continue building on the award, with regular reassessments in place to make sure the standards achieved are maintained and developed further in the years ahead.
For a town-sized hospital unit to be first in the entire Northern Neonatal Network to reach this standard is a genuine achievement, and one that reflects directly on the families across Darlington and County Durham who rely on the unit at what is often the most anxious time of their lives.
Source: County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
