Children’s and maternity services in Barnsley praised
Staff running Barnsley’s children’s and maternity services have been celebrating after receiving a national accreditation for a second time.
They were awarded the UNICEF Baby Friendly accreditation which recognises services offering the best care possible to women and their families.
Inspectors commented that pregnant women and mums received a very high standard of care and praised staff for their continued hard work.
The services have been run in partnership for the past decade by staff at South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Barnsley Council and Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
Care is provided by a number of health professionals such as midwives, health visitors, staff in children’s centres and infant feeding workers. They give support to new mums by offering practical tips and advice to help them bond with their new born babies.
Sean Rayner, district director for services in Barnsley at South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said: “It’s fantastic that the service has been reaccredited, and this is all down to all the hard work of the dedicated staff both at our Trust and within our partner organisations.
“The accreditation shows our ongoing commitment to mums across the Barnsley area to make sure they get the right help and support.”
Sue Gibson, Head of Midwifery at Barnsley Hospital, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have received this accreditation for the second time. It is testament to the hard work of all the teams involved.
“Working in partnership with South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Barnsley Council on this initiative has allowed us to provide the best possible care for the women of Barnsley and their families.”
Wendy Lowder, Acting Executive Director of Communities, said: “We’re delighted to have achieved the accreditation. It’s been a real partnership effort, working closely with families to listen to their needs and concerns. This continued hard work and dedication has helped to ensure we’re providing high quality services which have the baby and family right at the very heart of everything we do.”
South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of mental health, learning disability and community services to local people in Barnsley, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield.
To find out more about the Trust, visit www.southwestyorkshire.nhs.uk