The survey also revealed that 96 per cent of respondents would recommend the unit to family and friends if their baby needed care, compared to the national average of 91 per cent.
Little Miracles is a small charity with the sole objective of benefitting the families and babies who are admitted to the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) in Jersey’s General Hospital.
However, the survey, which examined 88 units across 72 NHS trusts, as well as Jersey, showed that the unit ranked among the bottom fifth for mothers and fathers being allowed to be present when their baby was being discussed and being included in discussions about their baby’s care and treatment.
The unit also fell in the bottom 20 per cent of the units surveyed for privacy during expressing milk and breastfeeding.
Elaine Torrance, deputy director of operations at the Hospital, said the survey reflected the ‘hard work and professionalism’ of the neonatal staff but conceded that in some areas, Jersey’s marks were lower than ideal, particularly around privacy and space.
‘We know that some of the facilities are outdated and smaller than would be acceptable in a modern hospital,’ Mrs Torrance said.
‘The maternity unit is in need of investment to cover the likelihood that the current site will be in use for at least another eight years prior to the target date for the future hospital project.
‘We have already done a lot of work towards addressing these areas and introducing changes to the unit which will make the environment more homely, and are incorporating the views of recent mothers as part of this work.’
A total of 61 mothers, whose babies were discharged from the unit between October 2013 and September 2014, responded to the survey, which was carried out by the UK-based Picker Institute Europe.
The Island ranked in the top fifth of all units in 20 of the 43 categories on which the survey focused.
These included support for mothers who wished to express breast milk and infection control.
And asked whether they had overall confidence and trust in the staff caring for their baby, 97 per cent of respondents said that they did, compared with the national average of 92 per cent.
Meanwhile, in the majority of the remaining 23 categories, Jersey’s marks were among the middle 60 per cent of the units surveyed.
Mrs Torrance said: ‘The marks in the majority of categories reflect the hard work and professionalism of all our neonatal staff – they are extremely dedicated to caring for parents and their babies, and I’m very pleased this has been recognised.’
