During Baby Loss Awareness Week (9-15 Oct), we are hosting Butterfly Remembrance walls at Antrim and Causeway Hospitals, where you can come along and place a butterfly to remember your baby or child.

The wall at Antrim Area Hospital (outside the old emergency department) will open on Monday 10 October (from 11am-12 noon) and Thursday 13 October (from 3-4pm and 6-7pm).

The Butterfly Remembrance Wall at Causeway Hospital (outside the main entrance) will open on Monday 10 October (from 3-4pm), Tuesday 11 October (11am-12noon) and Wednesday 12 October  (7-8pm).

A new Wellness Pathway for people living in nursing and residential care homes has shown significant benefits in the area of resident falls.

Tested as part of the regional Enhancing Clinical Care Framework (ECCF) project, the Pathway has provided the tools and resources to enable care home staff to support residents who are at high risk of falls, managing their care within homes.

Rathmena House in Ballyclare is one of a number of care homes in Northern Ireland which has tested the Pathway.  This work is being led by the Department of Health and is supported by the Northern Trust’s Reach Team (Responsive Education, Support and Anticipatory Care to Care Homes), in collaboration with staff within the home.

After commencement of the Falls Pathway, Rathmena House has had no resident falls in the months of July and August 2022.  There has been an increase in staff awareness and a more holistic approach to the care of residents with the potential to fall.  The Pathway has also resulted in timely assessment and intervention by General Practitioners, multidisciplinary team and Allied Health Professionals and better rehabilitation opportunities for residents.  In addition, Reminiscence Interactive Therapy and Activities are provided to help provide therapeutic engagement and meaningful activity for residents.

The Testing phase is now complete however due to the benefits of the Falls Pathway outcomes the care home continues to use the Falls Pathway tools and resources.

Speaking about its success, Elizabeth Graham, Assistant Director of Nursing with the Northern Trust said:

“The Falls Pathway is just one of many resources currently being tested across a range of care home settings in NI as part of the regional Department of Health plan to coproduce a new framework for enhancing clinical care for residents in care homes, working in partnership with the Independent Sector.

“The aim of the Enhancing Clinical Care Framework (ECCF) project is to ensure that people who live in care homes are supported to lead the best life possible and that their right to access equitable healthcare provision is upheld.”

Antrim Area Hospital Neonatal Unit has become the first neonatal unit in Northern Ireland to receive full Baby Friendly accreditation by UNICEF.

The Team at the unit has worked towards Baby Friendly accreditation since 2017.  Following funding by the Public Health Agency for breastfeeding lead roles in neonatal units, they gained the knowledge and skills to implement the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative Neonatal specific standards.

The Team implemented simple but effective measures including:

• comfortable recliner chairs for use by breastfeeding mothers
• Breast pumps for each cot space
• More privacy screens to encourage mothers to pump beside the cot
• Meal vouchers for parents to have a hot meal each day
• Small fridges in each nursery for mothers to manage their own breastmilk supply
• Car parking tickets to enable free car parking on the Antrim Hospital site
• A hydration station for parents and staff to drink water/juice throughout the day
• Coat hangers for parents to feel at home and have somewhere to hang their belongings
• A baby library to encourage parents to take a book and read to their baby
• Promotion of breastmilk while supporting all choices/methods of feeding

The Neonatal Unit also offered access to both parents and grandparents, however temporary changes were necessary due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Supporting families to breastfeed and increasing the number of babies who are breastfed offers the best possible start in life.  This improves infant health and provides health benefits for mothers.  Neonatal staff involve parents as true partners in care; they encourage relationship building, support breast milk use and the transition to breastfeeding.

Ruth McKinstry, Breastfeeding Lead Nurse, Neonatal Unit, Antrim Area Hospital, said,

“We are absolutely delighted to receive the Baby Friendly Accreditation.

“This work has helped both staff and parents to focus on family-centred care, ensuring families stay together at a most vulnerable time, surrounded by a supportive and welcoming environment and team.

“Breastmilk provides the unique nourishment required to meet babies nutritional needs, it helps fight infection, stimulates gut growth, aids digestion and research has also shown it can have an analgesic effect which is important for preterm and sick babies.”

Yvonne Palmer’s baby was born at just over 31 weeks.  She said,

“I decided to breastfeed because it was the one thing I could do while the nurses and doctors helped with the other care.

“No one else can make the same tailor-made milk as my body can, which helps to build and grow my baby.”

The Northern Trust Maternity Service was accredited as a Gold Baby Friendly Service in May 2018. This good work has continued with the Neonatal Unit now achieving the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative Neonatal specific standards.

Additional Information

• There is extensive evidence that breastfeeding saves lives, improves health and cuts costs.  In infant health, breastfeeding protects children from a vast range of illnesses, including infection, diabetes, asthma, heart disease and obesity, as well as cot death (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).  There are also maternal health benefits.  Breastfeeding protects mothers from breast and ovarian cancers and heart disease.  It also supports the mother-baby relationship and the mental health of both baby and mother. (UNICEF)
• Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended by the World Health Organisation for babies until six months’ old and thereafter with other foods for two years and beyond.
• In the UK, many mothers stop breastfeeding before they want to. The Baby Friendly Initiative responds to particular barriers they face by supporting health professionals to provide sensitive and effective care so that mothers can make an informed choice about feeding, get breastfeeding off to a good start and overcome any challenges.
• More information about Baby Friendly Standards for Neonatal Units:
  https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/baby-friendly-resources/implementing-standards-resources/neonatal-guide-to-the-standards/
• Baby Friendly Accreditation statistics and awards:
  https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/about/accreditation-statistics-and-awards-table-2/

The Northern Trust has launched a new, educational resource aimed at helping older people achieve healthier outcomes through better oral health.

Launched during National Smile Month (16 May -16 June 2022), the new video resource aims to help staff support the oral health care needs of older people in acute and community settings including care homes.

Findings show that oral health care needs are not always met for frail, older people and lack of good oral health care causes a range of health issues.  Poor oral health can adversely affect a person’s general health and is specifically linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and bacterial pneumonia. Furthermore, good oral health has a positive impact on the person’s quality of life.

The Health and Social Care Board and British Dental Association highlighted in a report in 2019 that 73% of residents in care facilities have unmet decay, compared to 40% for those living in their own homes and that poor oral health care often leads to difficulties in eating and absorbing medications properly.

The new video resource, launched today (June 13), aims to achieve a greater awareness amongst staff of the importance of effective oral health care for older patients and residents.

Launching the resource, Elizabeth Graham, Assistant Director of Nursing said,

“We are delighted to introduce this Northern Trust oral health educational resource.

The video is the result of excellent collaborative working between a number of professionals who are dedicated to oral health as a fundamental part of resident and patient care.

“The resource outlines the principles of good oral health care and practical support.  It also provides advice from General Practice on when to refer to a dentist and GP, advice on supporting residents with a dysphagia, and the importance of providing oral health care at the end of life.

“I would like to thank everyone involved – the REACH Team, Dana Doyle, Practice Development Nurse, Deirdre Norton, Health Promotion Officer (Community Dental), Nikki Bass, Senior Care Assistant with Magherafelt Manor Care Home (Kathryn Homes NI), Dr Alan Lewis, Chair of Antrim/Ballymena GP Federation, Tracey Borthwick, Speech and Language Therapist and Leanne Devlin, Specialist Palliative Care Nurse with the Northern Ireland Hospice.

“We hope the resource is helpful in informing and enhancing clinical practice and also contributing and supporting a positive patient or resident experience.

Promoting Residents’ Oral Health from Northern Trust on Vimeo.

During National Smile Month, the Oral Health Foundation is raising awareness of important oral health issues with the theme ‘Everyone deserves a healthy smile’.

The following links provide further information and details on how to support those in need of a little extra help.

For further details regarding the new Northern Trust oral health educational video, contact Maria Loughran – email: maria.loughran@northerntrust.hscni.net.

Download National Smile Month Resources
Top tips for your own oral health
Diet and oral health
Oral health and general wellbeing