New lead nurse for neonatal unit
A new lead nurse has joined the Royal Bolton Hospital's neonatal unit to help shape it into a regional centre of excellence for the care of newborn babies.
Wendy Duncan joins the Royal Bolton at an exciting time for neonatal care. As part of the Making it Better project to improve services for women, children and babies, the Royal Bolton's neonatal unit is being expanded. It will become one of three centres of excellence in Greater Manchester, caring for the region's smallest and most poorly babies.
A new specialist neonatal critical care unit is being built next to the current neonatal unit. Building work is due to begin next month. This unit will provide the highest level of care to small and poorly babies and will be one of three regional centres in Greater Manchester. Babies born in Bolton will be treated there, as well as others transferred in from other hospitals.
It will include a dedicated entrance, 17 critical care cots, a nurses' station, extra space for parents including a feeding room and specialist high-tech equipment.
The current unit is also being refurbished to provide a 22 cot special care baby area and extra space for parents. Work is due for completion during 2011.
Wendy will be responsible for the day to day running of the neonatal department and will be leading the team through the changes ahead. She joins the Royal Bolton Hospital from Salford Royal Hospital as part of the Making it Better implementation programme. She has transferred to Bolton under a cross boundary working agreement to support Bolton in developing the new unit, but is still currently employed by Salford.
After originally training as a general nurse and midwife, Wendy has been a specialist neonatal nurse for 25 years, spending 24 of those looking after the sickest and smallest babies who need the highest level of care.
Wendy said: "I am delighted to be joining the team at such an exciting time for neonatal care at the Royal Bolton. There will be many changes and developments over the coming months as building work gets underway on our new unit, and when its finished, I'm looking forward to developing a team that provides poorly and small babies with the very best care, in the very best facilities."
Photo: Wendy Duncan, new lead nurse for neonatal unit