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Responses > Family Integrated Care (FICare) 

Freedom of Information request Family Integrated Care (FICare) 

Response published: 17 September 2025

FOI Request

I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 regarding the implementation and evaluation of Family Integrated Care (FICare) within your neonatal services. Please could you provide the following: 1. Confirmation of whether Family Integrated Care (FICare) is currently implemented in your neonatal unit(s), and if so, the date of initial implementation. 2. Copies of any internal policies, protocols, or guidance documents relating to FICare. 3. Details of any staff training programmes or materials used to support FICare delivery. 4. Details of any staff training programmes or materials used to support FICare delivery relating to older siblings. 5. Any audit reports, evaluations, or outcome data relating to the effectiveness or impact of FICare on neonatal care or family experience. 6. If FICare is not currently implemented, please indicate whether there are plans or discussions underway to introduce it. In addition (and if relevant), please could the Trust provide information on its policies or regulations regarding parental and sibling access to babies receiving neonatal care: 1. Are both parents and siblings permitted to spend time with babies in neonatal care units? 2. Are there any time restrictions or limitations on how long parents or siblings may spend with babies in neonatal care? 3. Does the Trust have any policies to ensure that babies from multiple births (e.g. twins, triplets) receive equal parental contact time compared to singleton babies?

FOI Response

Freedom of Information Request – Ref: FOI 190-2025

Thank you for your recent Freedom of Information request. Please find our response below.

You asked:

Please could you provide the following:
1. Confirmation of whether Family Integrated Care (FICare) is currently implemented in your neonatal unit(s), and if so, the date of initial implementation.
2. Copies of any internal policies, protocols, or guidance documents relating to FICare.
3. Details of any staff training programmes or materials used to support FICare delivery.
4. Details of any staff training programmes or materials used to support FICare delivery relating to older siblings.
5. Any audit reports, evaluations, or outcome data relating to the effectiveness or impact of FICare on neonatal care or family experience.
6. If FICare is not currently implemented, please indicate whether there are plans or discussions underway to introduce it.

In addition (and if relevant), please could the Trust provide information on its policies or regulations regarding parental and sibling access to babies receiving neonatal care:
1. Are both parents and siblings permitted to spend time with babies in neonatal care units?
2. Are there any time restrictions or limitations on how long parents or siblings may spend with babies in neonatal care?
3. Does the Trust have any policies to ensure that babies from multiple births (e.g. twins, triplets) receive equal parental contact time compared to singleton babies?

Our response:

The Trust does not provide the service mentioned in your request.  Please re-direct your request to Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust at ghn-tr.foi@nhs.net.

Next steps:

Should you have any queries in relation to our response, please do not hesitate to contact us. If you are unhappy with the response you have received in relation to your request and wish to ask us to review our response, you should write to:

Louise Moss
Head of Legal Services / Associate Director of Corporate Governance
c/o Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
Edward Jenner Court
1010 Pioneer Avenue
Gloucester Business Park
Brockworth, GL3 4AW
E-mail: louise.moss@ghc.nhs.uk

If you are not content with the outcome of any review, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for further advice/guidance. Generally, the ICO will not consider your case unless you have exhausted your enquiries with the Trust which should include considering the use of the Trust’s formal complaints procedure. The ICO can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.