Every neonatal unit in Wales is now engaged with the Bliss Baby Charter, either having achieved bronze accreditation or submitted for assessment, the Welsh Government has said.
Around 2,800 premature and sick babies in Wales need neonatal care each year. Under the charter, neonatal teams treat parents as essential partners and support them to be involved in decisions about their baby’s care.
The Welsh Government awarded Bliss almost £100,000 in September 2025 to run a national improvement programme. Since then, every unit has reached bronze or submitted for assessment. One unit has already reached silver level, with three more preparing to follow.
The neonatal unit at Prince Charles Hospital recently achieved bronze accreditation. The unit has a reclining chair by each bedside so parents can spend time with their babies, offers meal vouchers, and provides parents with access to support 24/7.
Bliss is developing bilingual resources and improving access for families who face extra barriers, including distance, cost, language or disability. Continued funding in this financial year will support units to continue making improvements.
The Deputy Minister for Women’s Health, Delyth Jewell, said: “Every baby that is born prematurely or is unwell when they’re born deserves the best possible care, and every family deserves to be treated with dignity and compassion. This progress shows what’s possible when families, clinicians and health boards work together. We will keep listening to families and will keep supporting neonatal units to build on this progress.”
