An application that provides parents of sick and premature babies with video updates has received central governance approval. The seal of approval from NHS Digital means that the web-based application, vCreate, is now recognised by the NHS and will enable hospitals to roll out the service more quickly and easily across their Trust.
The application was first trialled at the Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow, in April in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and since then more than 170 parents have signed up. They now receive personalised video updates of their baby’s progress from their smart devices at times when they are not able to be at their baby’s cot side.
The technology allows nurses to record and send secure video messages to parents, to ensure that special moments that parents of premature infants would previously have missed, are captured on video. Then, when a baby is discharged, parents have the option to download a secure baby care video diary that documents their baby’s journey and can be kept forever.
vCreate is in talks with more than 100 neonatal units across the UK. The application is free to neonatal units and parents through a funding model that sees private enterprises supporting its provision in exchange for branding on the video.
