NHS providers can bid for £25 million of capital funding in 2012-13 for the NHS to improve the birthing environment in the maternity units that need it most, so both mothers and fathers, and the staff who work in the units, can benefit from a more pleasant and appropriate environment.
The NHS environments that women give birth in can have a big impact on the overall experience for both mothers and fathers and should provide for the safe care of mothers and babies in a comfortable, relaxing environment and enable one to one midwife care during labour and birth in privacy.
The deadline for applications is midday on 31 December 2012.
Documents for the Department of Health capital fund programme 2012 for improving birthing environments:
The successful projects will have demonstrated involvement and support from service users and the ability to deliver the project in the current financial year. Successful applicants will be notified in the week commencing 14 January 2013 and projects will need to be completed by 31 March 2013. Bids will need to meet the criteria set out in maternity care facilities: planning and design manual, version:0.8:England (2011). It is important that the views and experiences of women and their families locally inform the development and design of birthing environments.
Unfortunately, not all babies are born healthy. In these circumstances, parents often require extra care and support, so this fund can also be used for projects to support women and families when things go wrong, for example dedicated accommodation for bereaved families who babies were stillborn or for families whose babies are in special care, high dependency care or intensive care baby units.
