SSNAP (Support for the Sick Newborn and their Parents)

Who we are

No two days are the same in the Neonatal Care Unit at the John Radcliffe, and the same can be said for our office too! We are passionate and enthusiastic and love the work we do. 

SSNAP was founded to support sick newborn infants and their parents. The work that we do is driven by a number of core beliefs, that are outlined below.

•   Your newborn child should expect to receive the best and/or the latest medical treatment and care that exists in the world during your stay at the unit

•   It shouldn’t be difficult to see your newborn and to spend time with your newborn in the unit- it should be easy

•   You should be able to expect to get the best advice and if needed, the best counselling, during and after your child’s stay at the hospital

•   The nurses, doctors and other staff that are involved in the care of your newborn should have access to the best available current training.

•   If you need and are entitled to the help of the benefits or other welfare system, you should get that help, and quickly.

•   And in time, as a result of high quality, focused research efforts, the medical outcomes for premature babies and the procedures they undergo should improve, and must improve. 

Through a close working relationship with the Newborn Care Unit in Oxford our aims are to:

•   Ensure that all sick newborn babies treated in the Intensive, High and Low Dependency Nurseries have the best possible chance of survival by providing much needed life- saving equipment to supplement that provided by the NHS.

•   Make the extremely difficult situation of having a baby in the Unit bearable by providing effective emotional and practical support through Family Support Workers and trained volunteers with similar experiences.

•   Maintain the highest standards of nursing/ medical care by supporting staff in the NICU to develop their skills, keep up to date with developments and share experiences by funding study days and specialist training.

•   Help the Newborn Intensive Care Unit in Oxford maintain its position as a leading unit in the country through the above activities and by supporting the development of Neonatology in funding specialist medical research.