A £30,000 gift for Croydon’s tiniest babies this World Prematurity Day | News

Croydon’s tiniest patients will now benefit from a state of the art incubator, thanks to a partnership between Medequip4Kids and Croydon Health Charity.

Unveiled in time for World Prematurity Day (Friday 17 November), the new incubator features the latest technology such as thermo-regulation to deliver the best possible care for babies requiring neonatal care, as well as housing additional features that allow families to play music, lullabies and voice recordings directly into the incubator, improving the bond between parents and their newest arrivals, during their first days of life.

The equipment, secured by Croydon’s only dedicated NHS charity and saving the local NHS over £30,000, also makes it even easier for parents to have physical contact with their child, with greater access to the bed area and a ‘Family View’ monitor which clearly displays baby's progress, offering greater family-centred care.

Caroline Nyawira, Neonatal Unit and Transitional Care Matron at Croydon Health Services NHS Trust said:

“We are delighted to unveil our new ‘Babyleo’ incubator. Having a baby is one of the most memorable moments in a person’s life, but, for those whose little ones require some extra care from our neonatal unit, the experience can sometimes feel overwhelming.

“For every 13 babies born in the UK, one baby is born premature. We are committed to supporting all families who require neonatal care to have as positive an experience as possible, and pride ourselves taking as many steps as we can to ensure close contact and opportunities to bond in their first days together.

“Equipment like this not only improves the care we are able to offer, but also the experiences of those going through some of the most difficult times in their lives. We are incredibly grateful to Medequip4Kids, Croydon Health Charity and all of their supporters, for their efforts to make our ambitions for a better neonatal unit a reality.”

Catherine North, Fundraising Manager from Medequip4Kids said:

"Children's charity MedEquip4Kids provides medical equipment that benefits children's health, but is not available from limited NHS funding.

“We are delighted to support the new Baby Leo incubator at Croydon University Hospital, which will help to keep sick or premature babies cosy and warm. We hope its new features will make a real difference to local families who are caring for their new baby.

“We would like to say a special thank you to all our donors, and in particular to the Tom and Sheila Springer Charity for their incredibly generous support that enabled us to fund this significant piece of equipment.”