“I have been a consultant neonatologist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust since 2012. I completed my training in paediatrics and neonatology and was awarded a PhD in neuroprotection in Hungary, at Semmelweis University. I have worked at Imperial for many years and continue to show interest in neonatal neuroprotection studies like the TOBY Xenon Study working with Professor Denis Azzopardi. In recent years, I geared my interest towards quality improvement methods. I am leading on the IFDC Project for Imperial Neonatal Services. This project has been my dream for the last 3 years, and I’ve worked hard with our excellent multidisciplinary team to make it real”.

“I have been a consultant neonatologist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust since 2014. I graduated from Calcutta Medical College in India and did most of my neonatal training in the UK. My research interests include neonatal haemodynamics and oxygenation, and I was awarded with an MD in this field.I am innovative and have been involved in service development projects within the NHS. My aim is to pioneer family delivered care at the Trust’s hospitals and I strongly believe this should be the standard of care in the UK within the next few years”.

“I qualified as a neonatal nursery nurse in 1981 and qualified as a lactation consultant in 2010. I have worked in a level 3 neonatal unit at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust for more than 20 years, supporting breastfeeding and early expressing. I have great enthusiasm of supporting parents in transition to home and breastfeeding, and working very closely with many of our families. I worked on material on lactation, journey to suck feed and routine care for the app. Karen is now our IFDC coordinator at Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital.”

““I am a Neonatal Nurse that has worked in both medical and surgical neonatal units with over 10 year experience. Apart from patient care clinical skills, and staff education, I have special interest in quality improvement. I support the development of a working culture in which learning is encouraged, health care professionals work together and individuals are valued. Working in close partnership with the families was always part ofmy care philosophy, supporting them along their journey in the neonatal unit by promoting independence and helping them to build confidence”. Ines is now our IFDC coordinator at St Marys Hospital.”

“I am a neonatal speech and language therapist and lactation consultant (IBCLC) at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust with over 20 year experience working with sick and preterm babies. I support feeding and early communication development alongside the multidisciplinary team. My associated work with UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative, Bliss, Best Beginnings- Small Wonders and Birthlink UK charities have consolidated my belief that it is only through partnership with parents that we can achieve the best neonatal outcomes. With my colleagues, I am leading on the IFDC Project from the Therapist's side. I worked on material on lactation, the journey to suck feed and many other chapters for the app.”

“I have been a Consultant Neonatologist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust since 2003. I am the Lead Clinician for the North West London Neonatal Network and currently the Head of Specialty for the Imperial Neonatal Service. The IFDC Project has already had an impact on the quality of care provided to babies and families. I am committed to supporting this model of care in the NWL Neonatal Network”.

“I have been wokring as a consultant neonatologist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust since 2005. I took over as head of specialty for the Imperial Neonatal Services in 2012. The IFDC Project is a strategic project for the Imperial Neonatal Service and will pave the way to a very humane model of care for our tiny babies looked after on both of the Imperial neonatal units. I hope we can roll it out as a standard care model for all our babies over the next few years.”

Martina Dinneen is the divisional director of operations for women’s and children’s services at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. Our team approached her during the initial planning phase of this project. As an executive sponsor she supported this project from securing funding to completion.

“We as the Clinical Psychology team cover both Imperial Neonatal Units. We work in partnership with parents, neonatal staff, and allied health professionals. We are pleased to be a part of a project which empowers parents to be involved in their baby's care in these early, and often extremely challenging few weeks”.

“We are Neonatal and Paediatric Dietitians at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, specialising in the nutrition of preterm babies. We monitor and advise on our babies’ nutrition and growth throughout their journey on the neonatal unit from birth through to discharge. We keep in contact with our families post-discharge in the community and provide advice and growth monitoring as required. We work closely with the wider neonatal team, particularly with the multidisciplinary therapists and the discharge coordinators. We have been involved in the IFDC Project, working on material for the nutrition and growth chapters for the app.”

The neonatal unit from birth through to discharge. We keep in contact with our families post-discharge in the community and provide advice and growth monitoring as required. We work closely with the wider neonatal team, particularly with the multidisciplinary therapists and the discharge coordinators. We have been involved in the IFDC Project, working on material for the nutrition and growth chapters for the app.”

“We as the Discharge and Liaison team cover both Imperial Neonatal Units. We work in partnership with neonatal staff, allied health professionals, other hospitals and community agencies. We support the discharge process and facilitate a smooth and timely discharge home for vulnerable, high-risk babies and their families, providing continuing care in the community. We co-ordinate discharges for babies with more complex needs, such as home oxygen or nasogastric tube feeding. We worked on material on discharge planning for the app.”

Neonatal staff, allied health professionals, other hospitals and community agencies. We support the discharge process and facilitate a smooth and timely discharge home for vulnerable, high-risk babies and their families, providing continuing care in the community. We co-ordinate discharges for babies with more complex needs, such as home oxygen or nasogastric tube feeding. We worked on material on discharge planning for the app.”

“We as the Clinical Psychology team cover both Imperial Neonatal Units. We work in partnership with parents, neonatal staff, and allied health professionals. We are pleased to be a part of a project which empowers parents to be involved in their baby's care in these early, and often extremely challenging few weeks”.

“I am a PA in the Neonatal Service at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, providing administrative support for the Neonatal Consultants and also the IFDC Project. I have worked at Imperial for many years and am very excited to be involved in a project that involves and empowers parents in their baby’s care from an early stage.”

Emily Hills is a Clinical Specialist Neonatal Occupational Therapist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. Emily works across two sites, Queen Charlottes and Chelsea Hospital, a level three unit, and St Mary’s Hospital, a level two unit, where she leads on developmental care, neurobehavoural, neurodevelopmental and sensory assessment and interventions, including follow-up after discharge. Emily is a certified neonatal therapist (CNT). She has completed her MSc in Advanced Neonatal Studies at Southampton University. Emily is NIDCAP certified and is responsible for organizing and lecturing on The Family and Infant Neurodevelopmental Education (FINE) programme in the UK. Emily is a senior Brazelton trainer and is certified to teach on the Newborn behavioural Observation (NBO) and Neonatal Behavioural Assessment Scale (NBAS). Emily is an Advanced Practitioner in Sensory Integration (SI) and is co-author of Sensory Babies, a three-day educational programme for all health care and early educator providers. Emily has completed Neonatal Touch and massage certification (NTMC) and has completed the advanced course in The Prechtl General Movement Assessment.