Luton and Dunstable University Hospital

09/10/2025

Baby Loss Awareness Week, taking place from 9 to 15 October, brings together a community who have sadly been touched by baby loss, provides a supportive space to share their experiences and remembers the babies that were taken far too soon.

There are a number of wonderful organisations who provide bereavement support and information.
If you would like to talk to someone about pregnancy and baby loss, please visit: https://babyloss-awareness.org/support/

These organisations provide bereavement support and information to parents who have experienced pregnancy and baby loss anywhere in the UK.

07/10/2025

Throughout September, the Children's Ward at the L&D ensured everyone was aware of the signs and symptoms of cancer as early as possible by raising awareness as part of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

To brighten the day of our youngest patients, the team arranged for special visits from Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue service, princess and superheroes, dinosaur with Ranger Mike, Bella the therapy dog, Colonel Custard the magician and a face painter. They also took part in crazy hair day and a bake sale.

06/10/2025

New artwork has been unveiled at the L&D centred around the often hidden work that goes into providing care.

Circles of Care is a detailed excerpt of a textile wall hanging by artist Mary Hearne, commissioned by Revoluton Arts.

Creative well-being workshops were held for CHUMS young carers and 60 NHS staff, focusing on the theme of circles and their representation of unity, community, and connection.

The work displayed is made in response to participants’ outcomes, representing the unity and interconnectedness of caregivers, and through Mary’s personal experience as an unpaid carer for both parents.

Read more on our website: www.bedfordshirehospitals.nhs.uk/news/artwork-celebrates-caregivers-and-the-important-role-they-play-in-society

05/10/2025

Our Redevelopment Team recently joined together with colleagues and Governors to help bring the new staff courtyard garden to life.

Situated in our new Oak Wing, the space, designed for staff wellbeing, features areas for staff to sit and relax allowing them to reconnect with nature and unwind from their shift.

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Charity kindly supported with the planting of a tree dedicated in the memory of an Intensive Care Unit colleague.

04/10/2025

We’re honoured to share that at the L&D, we will be hosting a Sands ribbon display to support .

The display will be beautifully hung on the fence along the outer perimeter of the Snowdrop garden.

Families and loved ones are warmly invited to come by at any time during the week to hang a ribbon or ornament of their choice as a special way to remember and honour their little ones who were taken too soon.

03/10/2025

From the joy of new beginnings to the heartbreak of loss, we're here to support you and your family with compassion and dignity.

With the support and feedback from our wonderful community, including Chums and local baby loss groups, our bereavement suite and garden at the L&D has been named ‘Snowdrop suite and garden’.

Snowdrop suite offers a private, peaceful space for families to spend precious time with their baby after a stillbirth, miscarriage, or neonatal loss and our Snowdrop garden is a tranquil place for reflection and remembrance.

Stay tuned... the flowers and foliage will be on their way soon.

02/10/2025

We are thrilled to announce the return of the ROSE Awards.

Congratulations to our three latest winners of the ROSE Award at the L&D - Mandy Bates, Katherine Margrave, and Charleigh Brook–Davidson.

The ROSE Awards are a recognition of our Support Workers who demonstrate exemplary kindness, compassion, and care, and these members of staff have shown they are worthy of this award.

If you would like to nominate a Support Worker for the ROSE Award at our hospitals, please complete a ROSE nomination form found on all wards, or complete the online nomination form: https://www.oc-meridian.com/LDH/survey/RoseAwardNominations

01/10/2025

We invite you to join in with the global ‘Wave of Light’ in memory of all the babies who lit up our lives for such a short time.

This event will be held on Wednesday 15 October 2025 from 6:30pm to 7:30pm in the Chaplaincy, based on the second floor of the main building. Please ensure you arrive by 6:30pm.

This is a safe space to come together and listen to music, poetry and readings whilst burning our candles in memory of those lives that touched our hearts forever.

If you have a special piece of music or poetry you would like to read please let us know in advance.

Please confirm your attendance by Friday 10 October 2025. We will have refreshments available after the Wave of Light. For further information and to RSVP, please contact Sally Sloane Bereavement Midwife on 07790564626 or sally.sloane@ldh.nhs.uk

01/10/2025

Throughout September we celebrated at the Trust, with events at both sites to encourage staff to shift their mode of travel to greener, more sustainable options such as cycling, electric vehicles, and public transport.

We've been supported with great engagement from Stagecoach, Arriva, GMP Drivercare, Cycling UK and Mobilityways, thank you for coming and helping make Bedfordshire's air cleaner and our roads clearer.

29/09/2025

Our new Theatres opening in Cedar Wing next month, has allowed us to expand specialist services such as vascular. As part of this, we have a number of exciting opportunities.

Hear from Clive Underwood, Lead Nurse, on why you should consider joining the team: "We encourage and strive for a culture of inclusion, providing equal opportunities for career development for our multi-cultural staff that are fair and transparent. We know that investing in, supporting and developing our staff has a direct impact on the quality of care that we deliver. Our staff are as important as our patients and the population that we serve."

Band 5 Theatres Scrub Practitioner: https://www.bedfordshirehospitals.nhs.uk/working-here/job-vacancies/ #!/job/UK/Bedfordshire/Luton/Bedfordshire_Hospitals_NHS_Foundation_Trust/Operating_Theatres/Operating_Theatres-v7465935?_ts=2258

Band 6 Theatres Scrub Team Leader: https://www.bedfordshirehospitals.nhs.uk/working-here/job-vacancies/ #!/job/UK/Bedfordshire/Luton/Bedfordshire_Hospitals_NHS_Foundation_Trust/Operating_Theatres_Scrub/Operating_Theatres_Scrub-v7438005?_ts=2258

Band 7 Senior Theatre Practitioner: https://www.bedfordshirehospitals.nhs.uk/working-here/job-vacancies/ #!/job/UK/Bedfordshire/Luton/Bedfordshire_Hospitals_NHS_Foundation_Trust/Theatres_Management/Theatres_Management-v7443282?_ts=2258

Band 6 Interventional Radiology (IR) Nurse https://www.bedfordshirehospitals.nhs.uk/working-here/job-vacancies/ #!/job/UK/Bedfordshire/Luton/Bedfordshire_Hospitals_NHS_Foundation_Trust/Imaging_interventional_radiology_Nurse_Band/Imaging_interventional_radiology_Nurse_Band-v7453415?_ts=2258

29/09/2025

Join us at the L&D for our Stroke Support drop-in sessions. These take place on the first Wednesday every month at 1-3pm, and can be found in the Ward 17 Visitors Room.

At these sessions you can learn practical information and support, and speak with staff from our Stroke Recovery Service.

28/09/2025

To wrap up , we would like to thank our amazing Organ Donation teams who have been active in the community and in our hospitals, raising awareness and reducing stigma, explaining why organ donation matters, and helping everyone sign up to the Organ Donor Register.

Thank you to those who are already signed up, we are grateful for the time you must have spent choosing, and the conversations you have had with others since making your choice.

You can sign up online https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/register-your-decision/