STAFF in the neonatal intensive care unit in Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, were runners-up in the national Neonatal Nurses Association Awards.

The team was shortlisted for Neonatal Team of the Year 2025 for the work they have done to help parents safely return home with their babies up to five days earlier than before.

Some babies who previously would have needed to stay in hospital for up to seven days receiving antibiotics through a drip, are now able to return home after as little as 48 hours, with a course of oral antibiotics which can safely be taken at home.

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust advanced neonatal nurse practitioner Ana Barbosa said: “Since we began this project in February, we identified 19 babies in the first six months who were suitable to go onto oral antibiotics at home.

“This has freed up 86 bed days over six months, which in real terms means about one neonatal hospital bed every two days.

“We followed international studies that show oral antibiotics are as effective as IV antibiotics.

“In total, we ran 76 virtual consultations in five months and there were no readmissions to our emergency departments or paediatric assessment unit, which is a real marker of success and great news for families.”

Ms Barbosa said everybody on the neonatal unit was thrilled to have been shortlisted for the national awards in recognition of their efforts to improve the neonatal experience for colleagues, babies, and families.

She said previously babies with raised C-reactive protein (CRP) levels or where blood cultures were returned positive, or they were clinically unwell, would be kept in hospital for further investigations and a minimum of a seven-day course of antibiotics.

Now, babies whose CRPs were raised but otherwise clinically well were being allowed to complete their course of antibiotics at home.