18/03/2025
Our Maternity and Neonatal Services highlights the benefits of the Family Integrated Care (FICare) Service at the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH). This service provides a space for parents to stay together in the neonatal unit 24/7.
Karen Weir, Manager, Neonatal Unit at the South West Acute Hospital explained:
“The Neonatal Unit is a six bedded facility at the South West Acute Hospital which caters for babies over 34 week gestation. We can also care for babies above 32 weeks who have been repatriated closer to their home from other neonatal units in the Northern Ireland who meet certain criteria. We offer FIcare to all families which means mum and baby, dad and baby or mum and dad can stay together in the unit. Parents can stay over even after mum has been discharged from the maternity ward.
We have a designated room for parents where they can come and relax and make a cup of tea, along with the parents sleeping facilities. Parents are welcome in the Unit 24/7 and we support visiting of other family members and offer support networks for parents if their baby requires specialist neonatal care.
“We also work here as a cohesive team along with our maternity staff. We provide an outreach service with our specialist nurses going out to cater for babies needs who need specialist intervention in order to keep mum, dad and baby together. It is important that we highlight that the neonatal unit is open and offers specialist services for families in the local community. We are delighted to be able to highlight the excellent facilities here at the South West Acute Hospital and particularly the Family Integrated Care model.
At SWAH Neonatal Unit, we are proud to offer the FiCare ‘Next to Me’ model and the positive difference it has made for families. As we move forward, we remain committed to evolving our FiCare approach, ensuring every baby receives individualised, compassionate care, and every family feels supported and empowered in their journey through the Neonatal Unit.
“If you or someone you know is expecting a baby who may require neonatal care, we want you to know that at SWAH, you are not alone. Our team is here to support, guide, and walk beside you every step of the way.”
“At the Neonatal Unit (NNU) we believe that families are at the heart of neonatal care. Every baby’s journey is unique, and we are committed to ensuring that parents feel supported, involved, and empowered throughout that journey. In early 2023, we proudly introduced our FICare ‘Next to Me’ model of care, a transformative approach that places families at the centre of their baby’s care. Over the past two years we have supported several babies and their families from Fermanagh and the Omagh area of the Western Trust.
“Traditionally, when babies require neonatal care, parents often face separation, from their babies which can be emotionally challenging. Our ‘Next to Me’ FiCare model changes that by offering parents the choice to stay beside their baby even after their own hospital discharge. This unique approach fosters bonding, encourages parental confidence, and enhances outcomes for both babies and families. We often extend neonatal care beyond our unit by supporting parents and babies, who require neonatal care, in the maternity ward wherever possible. By working closely with the maternity team, we strive to keep mums, dads, and babies together, ensuring a seamless transition from birth to neonatal care if required.”
“Our mission at SWAH NNU is to provide the highest standard of compassionate, family-centered care. We believe that by embracing the principles of FiCare and ‘Next to Me’, we empower parents as active participants in their baby’s care, ensuring they feel valued, informed, and supported every step of the way. The ‘Next to Me’ model aligns perfectly with our values of compassion, respect, and partnership, creating a nurturing environment where families and healthcare professionals work together in partnership for the best outcomes.
“Since the introduction of the ‘Next to Me’ Ficare model, feedback from families has been overwhelmingly positive. Parents have shared how much it means to stay close to their baby, play an active role in their care, and build confidence in their parenting skills with the support of our team. Many have expressed gratitude for the emotional reassurance this model provides, reducing stress and strengthening the parent-infant bond.”
New mum Cora McCann and her partner Marty Beagan from Enniskillen shared their experience in the neonatal unit. Cora is a midwife at the South West Acute Hospital and gave birth to premature twin boys Cuan and Fiachra Beagan.
“Our identical twin boys were born in the Royal Victoria Hospital Maternity Unit on 17 January 2025 at 33+4 weeks gestation. We were delighted to get transferred to the Neonatal Unit at the South West Acute Hospital to be with the boys so close to home. The twins stayed in the Unit for 18 days and it was wonderful that both Marty and I could be with them in the unit. The neonatal nurses are excellent and we are incredibly grateful for the support and care we received. This is an excellent service, close to home and our families have been able to help and support us which means the world to us and our little family.”
New mum Martina Meehan and partner Tony Feely from Derrygonnelly also spoke about their experience in the neonatal unit. Martina said her daughter Mary Kate was born on 14 February (Valentine’s Day) at 38 weeks and is currently an inpatient in the Neonatal Unit as she has difficulty with feeding.
“The midwives in the maternity ward were fantastic and we are so grateful for their care and support during Mary Kate’s birth. Being able to stay beside my baby after my discharge made all the difference. I never felt like I was leaving her behind. The support from the neonatal and midwifery teams gave me the confidence to care for her even in those early, uncertain days of our journey. It makes it easier to come to the neonatal unit. The staff are brilliant and we also have a large family network close by to support us.”
“Mary Kate was named after both sets of great grandparents and one of her grandparents was married on Valentine’s Day which is a lovely coincidence and one we will be able to tell her when she gets older!”