Northampton General Hospital neonatal unit awarded Bliss Baby Charter Gold accreditation

By reaching this gold standard, celebrated in a ceremony on 5th June 2025, the unit has demonstrated that there are sufficient procedures, practices, and facilities in place to empower parents and carers to be partners in care through joint decision-making and hands on care, as well as understanding families’ needs and availability in order to provide truly individualised care. This facilitates a solid foundation for Family Integrated Care.  

The accreditation assessment was carried out both in person and virtually with Northampton General neonatal unit on 5th March 2025 by Bliss Baby Charter Programme Officers, Rachel Quartermaine and Nikki Sage, Bliss Baby Charter Programme Lead Giulia Bonacalza and Volunteer Assessors, Emily Gorrod-Smith and Lynne Wainwright. The Baby Charter leads for the unit were Nicole Malazzab and Michelle Hardwick.

All of the families interviewed as part of the assessment were very positive about the Unit and extremely complimentary about the staff. One parent said: “The interaction and relationships with the nurses and consultants was very positive- they felt like family and the respect they had for each other as colleagues transpired down to the support they offered families – it was fantastic. They made parents feel at home, involving both mum and partner in everything.”

Another parent commented that the Unit Consultant was ‘fantastic’, while the feeding lead and homecare team were described by parents Bliss interviewed as ‘amazing’ and ‘10/10’ respectively.

Nicole Malazzab, Baby Charter lead alongside Michelle Hardwick, said: “Gosset Ward is supported by a dedicated multidisciplinary team, each member playing a vital role in the journey that families experience during their time with us.

“We are united by a shared passion for providing compassionate and comprehensive family integrated care and are committed to ensuring that every family receives the support they need throughout their stay.  

“Each neonatal journey is unique, as a neonatal team we are there every step of the way. As part of our recent accreditation process, we invited feedback from families who have spent time on the ward. It was incredibly rewarding to hear so many positive comments—not only about the care provided to their babies but also about how welcomed and supported they felt as parents. These reflections affirm the importance of the work we do and inspire us to continue improving.

“We would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the team at Bliss, especially Rachel, whose support throughout the accreditation process has been invaluable. Her insight and thoughtful feedback have played a key role in helping us enhance our approach to family-integrated care.

“We remain committed to providing the highest standard of neonatal care, and we are grateful to all who have contributed to making Gosset Ward a place of support, strength, and compassion.”

Dr Anne Smith, Divisional Clinical Director Family Health, said: “We are incredibly proud to have achieved Bliss Gold accreditation, which reflects the outstanding dedication, compassion and teamwork shown by every member of our neonatal unit. This recognition highlights the exceptional care we provide to babies and their families, placing them at the heart of everything we do.  

“Thank you to our incredible staff whose tireless efforts, empathy and commitment have made this achievement possible – we could not have done it without you.”

Find our more about the Bliss Baby Charter here.