New service to register babies born early launches at Great Western Hospitals

Families welcoming a baby born early at Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust can now benefit from a more convenient birth registration service, thanks to a partnership between the organisation and Swindon Borough Council's Registration Service.

The service was developed following feedback from a neonatal family, after a mum of twins shared how difficult it had been to leave her babies on the neonatal unit to register their births.

Registrars will visit the hospital every month to register premature babies spending time on the neonatal unit, allowing parents to complete the legal registration process before leaving hospital, without the need to make a separate journey to the registration office in Swindon town centre.

The initiative is designed to make key milestones easier for families during an important and often emotional time, particularly for parents of babies receiving specialist care. By bringing registration services directly to the hospital, families can be with their babies when they register them – creating a more special and family-centred experience. It also means families will not need to worry about travel or appointments.

The first birth registration session was a great success, with the births of five babies registered on the neonatal unit. Parents described the experience as “a really special milestone that we were able to celebrate together” and “a lovely, seamless experience.”

Becky Bracey, Neonatal Family Support Sister at Great Western Hospital, said: “Listening to our families is one of the most important ways we can continue to improve the care and support we provide. This service is a direct result of one family's feedback, demonstrating how listening and acting on the experiences of parents can lead to meaningful improvements for future families.

“Where babies are well enough to do so, families can now bring them to the Poppy Room to be present for their birth registration. Seeing those precious moments, and the joy on the parents' faces, was a powerful reminder of why listening to families and acting on their feedback is so important.

“This service is about much more than registering a birth. It's about reducing unnecessary stress, keeping families together where possible, and ensuring parents can celebrate an important milestone during what can often be a very challenging time."

Councillor Matt Hinton, Swindon Borough Council's Cabinet Member for Community Engagement, Safety and Services, said: "Registering the birth of a child is a milestone that every family should be able to celebrate together, and we're delighted to be working with Great Western Hospital to make that possible.
"This new service brings our registration team directly to families at the hospital, making the process more convenient and removing the need for an additional journey at what can already be a stressful and emotional time.

"We're committed to making Council services as accessible as possible and this partnership is a great example of how we're working with our NHS colleagues to put families first and provide support when it's needed most."

Parents will be contacted with information about the registration service and appointment availability during their hospital stay.