‘Remarkable’ UNICEF award win for Harrogate Hospital’s maternity unit
Two of Harrogate District Hospital’s most outstanding departments have won a gold UNICEF award and become the only ones in England to do so.
Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust (HDFT) has been reaccredited with UNICEF UK’s Baby Friendly Gold Award for both its maternity and neonatal units.
This reaccreditation reaffirms HDFT’s position as the only NHS Trust in England to hold Gold status – the highest level of accreditation - across both services, reflecting an “unwavering commitment to delivering outstanding care for babies, parents and families”.
HDFT is also the leading NHS Trust nationally, with a total of four accredited Gold services and eight Stage 3 accredited services across its 11 Local Authority 0-19 (children and young people’s public health services) contracts.
Breeda Columb, Director of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals at HDFT said: “I am delighted that we have retained our Gold accreditation.
"This award reflects years of dedication from staff, strong leadership and a culture that places babies and families at the heart of care.
"Harrogate’s services have now been recognised as an exemplar of best practice for supporting infant feeding, strengthening parent-infant relationships and improving outcomes for the community.”
The Gold Award recognises healthcare providers that meet UNICEF’s rigorous standards for infant feeding and early parent-infant relationships.
Achieving this level demonstrates that HDFT’s maternity and neonatal teams not only meet these standards, but have embedded them into everyday practice, ensuring families consistently receive compassionate support.
The Baby Friendly Initiative, set up by UNICEF and the World Health Organization, is a global programme which provides a practical and effective way for health services to improve the care provided for mothers and babies.
Leanne Likaj, Associate Director of Midwifery and Paediatrics at HDFT said: “I am immensely proud to be working with a service that has sustained UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative Gold accreditation for maternity and neonatal services.
“This accreditation recognises the commitment of our staff to provide families with compassionate, evidence-based support for infant feeding, helping babies get the best possible start in life and fostering close, loving relationships.”
More information on the accreditation at: https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/about/