Name:
Organisation: The Neonatal Unit at St George’s Hospital London
Award Category: Outstanding Team Care
Sponsored By:
Voting is now closed
My Plea:
The Neonatal Unit at St George’s provides a compassionate and caring parent-led service supported by two counsellors and a family centred-care coordinator.
In heart-breaking circumstances, we support families by offering individualised end-of-life care in calm and private environments, including a children’s garden. Families are offered a comfortable room where they can spend precious time with their angel babies and a candle is lit to indicate to others that a baby is dying.
Our team consistently provides outstanding care and are honoured to have been nominated by Eloise and David Mathis, whose son Sonny was cared for at St George’s. They explain why we deserve to win ‘Best Hospital Bereavement service’:
“Our little boy Sonny Mathis was transferred to St George’s hospital in May 2018 as he suffered an antenatal cord event which led to him having brain damage.
“The neonatal team (nurses, doctors, counsellor and the relative support worker) were absolutely amazing at supporting us a family.
“They helped by talking to us and explaining things, ensuring we were involved in all decision making with our son’s care and by reminding us to drink water, eat and sleep.
“The charity they have that supports the unit, First Touch, helped supply tea, coffee and funded the family room. We were also able to stay on the unit in a bedroom.
“Whilst there we were able to take Sonny to a beautiful garden which had a sandpit and swing in. Our other little boy William and my husband’s other son George were able to spend time playing whilst their brother was there in a buggy.
“Unfortunately Sonny wasn’t going to be with us for long on earth. The team at St Georges supported us in transferring to a hospice and ensured a smooth transition.
“The care our son received and the support they gave our family was amazing. They were all so kind and caring and helped us learn to care for our boy in the time he was with us. We can never thank them all enough. The consultant caring for Sonny, Dr Kennea, was amazing. He always took time to talk with us and ensure we were involved. The way he handled and cared for Sonny was filled with kindness. He also attended Sonny’s funeral which really meant a lot to us.
“This team do amazing work and deserve to know how great they are and what a difference they made to us in such heart-breaking and traumatic circumstances.”
William, Sonny’s brother, said: “When I see the sun shining, I think of my brother Sonny.”
Below is a link to a short video of some of Sonny’s moments:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kW4pMb2KdZM&feature=youtu.be
Thank you St George’s Neonatal Unit for taking such amazing care and time to look after my beautiful nephew Sonny. Although he wasn’t with us long you made the time we all had so very special.
You deserve so much praise and more. Xx
St George hospital neonatal team are fantastic n diserve this award .so let’s all vote to make this happen.
Thanks very much st. George’s neonatal unit for taking care of Lidia for such long time.. You are amazing and you deserve it!!!
Such an amazing team of people. Made a very difficult time so much easier through their compassion, care and cuddles when required. Truly deserve any recognition of their brilliant work !
I am so proud to work at St George’s, but I almost burst with pride when I see something like this – this team truly represents our Trust values of being kind, excellent, responsible and respectful.
They were amazing and always tried there best to support sonny’s family through their tough time. They always did what was best and they were always positive and kind. After what happened to Sonny they sent him and his family to an amazing hospice because they new that it was best.
My wife & I experienced the phenomenal care of St George’s Neonatal unit this January having been transferred. Our beautiful boy Caspar was only with us for a week having been born too ill. There is simply too much to describe how much every part of the unit helped us. All I can say is that every individual in the team are a credit to the NHS. I will be doing some fundraising for First Touch this December.
My gorgeous cousin!
The team were amazing, not only providing support to Eloise and David but also to young William. Helping him understand and making sure he had quality time with his baby brother.
Thankyou to St. George’s Neonatal Unit. The guidance, advice, support and love you showed to Eloise, Dave and the family was such a valuable asset to them all when Sonny was in their care. Everyone is so greatful for the work that you do everyday. Sonny may have only had a little time with us all but thanks to care and support Sonny recieved, his short little life was filled with so much love and cherished memories. Thankyou for everything you did for Sonny and his family xx
I have to say that the care my daughter and son received was outstanding .the team showed compassion ,they communicated well with my Elise and Dave and the wider family .The care they gave made a huge difference to eloise Dave William George and the family. Having the chance to talk afterwards also helped.We cannot change what happened but as a team your care has a lasting impact and is so important on so many levels. Thankyou all we will never forget your love and kindness xx
Thank you to the neonatal team at St.Georges. You bring tenderness, love and support in such life changing experiences. Though our time spent in the unit with Sonny was so often heart breakingly sad, it was also full of happy moments, laughter and love and that is down to the caring nature of all the staff who took the time to show us how to do what we needed to do and communicated with us all. Thank you for your patience, thank you for your kindness and thank you for bringing comfort to us all at a time when we really needed it. You do excellent work and First Touch are amazingly supportive and caring. Thank you and well done to you all. You make such a difference to us all.
St. George’s Neonatal unit is one of the best in the UK. Over the years, I have known many friends and family members that have the utmost praise and gratitude for such professional, dedicated, compassionate and caring staff, who go above and beyond what is expected. You thoroughly deserve this award.
This team are truly dedicated and inspirational. They are totally inclusive of the whole team including the support services team members in delivering excellent care to their patients and families – and going above and beyond in some very difficult circumstances
My beautiful granddaughter received life saving care after being born at 28 weeks and then transferred to St George’s neonatal unit in December 2017 and didn’t leave there until April 2018 a total of 144 days in hospital. We owe her life to the amazing surgeons, Doctors and nurses who everyday provide amazing care to the babies and families. Please vote for St George’s. Reading stories like Sonnie’s brings shivers to me and makes you realise how lucky we are.
My extend prem son was born at 23 weeks and he received excellent care from st.georges NNU team. They are expert and very kind and supportive. They very well deserve this award.
An amazing and inspiring team to work alongside. Sonny’s story is evidence of just how hard the whole team works to care for families in such difficult times.
My son Max was born at St George’s Hospital 8 weeks premature and was taken to the excellent neonatal unit where his unusual and complex needs were uncovered and tackled as well as possible, saving his life time and again. He is a strapping 16 year old and has continued the NNUs work by overcoming every obstacle in his way in his own time and in his own way. They kept him alive and gave him the best start. Other neonates were not so lucky while we were there and the care and compassion give to each child is worthy of every accolade going. Xxx
My life support for the six weeks we were in the neonatal unit with our our 6 week Prem son. Just amazing, thoughtful, talented and caring staff, we never felt alone and the unit has a firm place in our heart forever. We cannot thank everyone enough. They are all incredibly special.
The whole team on the neonatal unit provided an exceptional service at a time that was indescribably so painful and distressing for Eloise, Dave and their two young boys.The professional care provided for Baby Sonny and his family was compassionate, sensitive and supportive throughout the time they spent on the unit. They extended this level of care and support to the extended family as well. In Baby Sonny’s short live he touched so many peoples hearts and in turn the staff on the neonatal did this also. Thank you so much for all that you have done and continue to do for other babies and their families.
The NICU team at St Georges are the most exceptional people my husband and I have ever met. From the nurses to the doctors and consultants, the administration team and even the cleaners – we have never experienced such care and kindness when our baby was born extremely early at 25 weeks. We can never adequately express how grateful we are for their incredible care for us all as a family over the six month period that we were at the hospital in 2019. They deserve every award!
The st George’s neonatal team are truly angels themselves my son santino was born 2months premi and the love and support I was given as a young mum (19 at the time) was incredible , they are so hands on and effecient with every single baby in there not to mention how kind supportive and reassuring they was with all us parents they are not only dedicated to their roles but you can see the genuine love they have in caring for each baby my son is now nearly 10 and I always keep them in my prayers for the love help and support we received I couldn’t think of any people better to receive this award thank you with all my heart xxx
Words are not enough to thank you for the care you gave to my son who is 4 tomorrow!
St.georges neonatal team is a God sent my daughter was born at 25weeks at Croydon university weighing 640 grams was transferred to St.georges where she was taking very good care of I made friends with the team. My daughter zhia was loved by the team now she is a15 months health baby, God bless you all and continue the good work we love you guys xxx
Dear Members of St. George’s Neonatal Team ,
As an Obstetric sonographer , I am often the first person to inform parents to be that the outcome of the pregnancy may not be so favourable and I always hope and pray that the family will have all the much needed care , love and support for the tough road ahead .
It is of great comfort to see that teams like you give all the support , care and guidance to new parents and family when they are at their most tender venerable .
Ive heard great things! Well done!
Best team ever. God bless you guys ??
What an absolute pleasure it is to nominate St. George’s for this … ? deserved .
The support St George’s neonatal unit gave gave to our son David and Eloise and both George and William was outstanding because you never think something so heartbreaking can happen to your family.
They didn’t just care and support our Sonny and his parents but for all the family from grandparents to aunties and uncles and the the many more of Sonny big family unit.
We can never be more grateful to St George’s and their staff. They truly deserve this award.
My son was born 11 weeks early weighing a tiny 1.8lb. Hes now coming up to his 18th birthday. St George’s neonates were beyond brilliant and the care and time they put into saving my son was phenomenal as was the the care I received from St George’s exceptional drs and nurses.
The award would be so deserved. Well done St Georges
The most amazing team!