Thanks to donations to Hywel Dda Health Charities, the official charity of Hywel Dda University Health Board, a new incubator worth over £30,000 has been funded for the Special Care Baby Unit in Glangwili Hospital.

The Special Care Baby Unit cares for some of the most vulnerable newborn babies and serves families across mid and west Wales.

The state-of-the-art unit has been purpose built to meet the needs of new-born babies and their families, as well as the neonatal team who cares for them.

The new incubator, worth over £30,000, will provide additional functionality such as improved access, overhead heat to assist with maintaining body temperature, and the ability to be used as an ‘open cot’ to assist with baby cooling.

Sandra Pegram, Special Care Baby Unit Manager, said: “We are delighted that a new Giraffe Omnibed Incubator has been purchased through charitable funds.

“The new equipment will help care for four babies needing high dependency care and one baby needing intensive stabilisation.

“An incubator is required within the SCBU to keep premature babies warm, they also provide good visibility of both premature and sick term babies without causing too much disturbance.”

Charitable donations have previously helped purchase a range of items for the unit which includes specialist equipment such as oxygen analysers and a monitor to assist with monitoring brain activity as well as items that aim to make the family’s time at the unit as comfortable as possible with the aim of improving their overall experience of the SCBU.

Nicola Llewelyn, Head of Hywel Dda Health Charities, the official charity of Hywel Dda University Health Board, said: “The support of our local communities enables us to provide services over and above what the NHS can provide in the three counties of Hywel Dda and we are extremely grateful for every donation we receive.

“The new incubator shows how donations can make a significant difference to the patient experience by providing the local NHS with the latest technology. A huge thank you to everyone whose generous donations have made this possible.”

For more details go to: www.hywelddahealthcharities.org.uk