Bradford Teaching Hospitals has become the first hospital Trust in the country to offer a state-of-the-art, ground-breaking new feature for parents of babies in the neonatal unit at Bradford Royal Infirmary.
The new innovation – ‘BabyView’ – is a magical way of bringing mum (or dad) and baby together – even when they are apart.
It has become possible thanks to technology that uses a remote video-link whereby a close-up and detailed image of baby in the neonatal unit can be beamed directly to parents wherever they are.
Parents are able to see baby on a PC screen, an iPad or tablet and even on a smartphone, simply by accessing the web address on their internet browser or by downloading an app.
For mums and dads who are apart from their tiny babies for one reason or another, this revolutionary system is not only bringing joy but peace of mind too.
Assistant Chief Nurse, Shelley Bailey said: “There are lots of reasons why mum or dad can’t always get to visit baby in the neonatal unit. Mum may be poorly herself and therefore still on the ward or it could be that she is in a different hospital to her baby.
“There can also be cases of a multiple birth, where one of the babies is brought to the neonatal unit here in Bradford, and the logistics of travelling are difficult meaning visiting is not possible every day. If parents have other children already at home or are travelling a distance, then that too can have an impact.
“But this system takes away all that worry and anxiety of not being able to see your little one every day – because now it’s possible. It also means that when parents dial in, they can talk to the nurses on duty at the time – or the consultant if available – and get an update on baby’s condition. It is much better than a phone call.”
