Published on: 25 September 2025
A Neonatal Unit which provides intensive care for babies from across the North East and North Cumbria has been awarded a prestigious ‘Baby Friendly Award’.
The team at Sunderland Royal Hospital looks after hundreds of premature babies every year from all parts of the region. It is now the latest UK health care facility to gain official accreditation as part of UNICEF’s Baby Friendly Initiative.
The Baby Friendly Initiative is a global programme. It aims to transform healthcare for babies, their mothers and families. It is part of a wider global partnership between UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO).
In the UK, the Baby Friendly Initiative works with public services to better support families with infant feeding and developing close, loving relationships to ensure that all babies get the best possible start in life.
The expert neonatal team at Sunderland Royal Hospital are passionate about supporting little ones and their families. The Baby Friendly Award was achieved after three years of dedicated hard work and follows a rigorous assessment by UNICEF to confirm that the service in Sunderland meets best practice international standards.
The work to gain UNICEF accreditation has included an education programme for staff and another for parents. New privacy screens are now in use during breastfeeding, a new space has been set up for expressing milk and new furniture is in place to make the environment more comfortable for families.
Funds via the Mini Miracles arm of Trust’s STS Charity, has been used to buy equipment. The charity also backed a revamp of the neonatal unit, which has included better rooms and communal areas for families to use, as well as set up on-site accommodation, so parents and siblings can stay close by. The project saw a total of £1 million invested in Sunderland’s neonatal service.
As part of the UNICEF work, the Sunderland neonatal team has also built on the support already offered to parents, including skin-to-skin contact.
Emily Cameron is the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Department Manager and its Lead Nurse. She said: “The neonatal team should feel incredibly proud of this achievement and I would like to thank them all for their commitment to gaining this award.
“The accreditation process has been a journey for everyone, with all staff on an individual level gaining new knowledge and skills with a new way of thinking and supporting parents.
“As a team, we’ve shared ideas and innovations. Everyone has put their trust in the process and that it would bring a higher level of excellence to our families and babies.
“We started on this journey over three years ago and our team have embraced things every step of the way, taking on board changes in our education work and the guidance we follow.”
Melanie Johnson is the Trust’s Executive Director of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals. She said: “This award from the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative is a reflection of our ongoing commitment to increase breastfeeding rates and improve care for all mothers.
"Breastfeeding protects babies against a wide range of serious illnesses. These include gastroenteritis and respiratory infections in infancy, as well as cardiovascular disease, asthma, diabetes and obesity later in life.
“We also know that breastfeeding reduces the mother’s risk of some cancers, and that it supports the mental health of both mother and baby
“Our team set out to ensure that all mothers and babies are supported to form a close and loving relationship – whatever their choice of feeding method – as this is the best start for every baby.”
The team will now be working to maintain its awards, which is re-evaluated by UNICEF every two years.
The Maternity team across the Trust is now also working to achieve its Baby Friendly Initiative status.
