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Neonatal Care Leave Policy

31 Mar 2025

Introducing our new Neonatal Care Leave Policy

Image of newborn baby feet

As part of our ongoing commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive working environment and in response to the Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023, which comes into force on Sunday, 6 April 2025—we are pleased to announce the launch of our new Neonatal Care Leave Policy.   

This policy is designed to support parents navigating the emotional and practical challenges of caring for a newborn receiving neonatal care. All colleagues who are parents of a baby admitted to the hospital within 28 days of birth and requiring "neonatal care" (as defined in the policy) for seven continuous days or more will be entitled to neonatal leave. Colleagues will be entitled to take one week’s neonatal care leave for every uninterrupted week their baby receives neonatal care up to a maximum of twelve weeks.  

Ele Morrissey, Executive Director of People, said: 'We are proud to introduce our Neonatal Care Leave Policy as part of our suite of family friendly policies and reinforce our commitment to fostering a supportive working environment. We recognise the difficulties parents may face during this period, and it is only right that we provide the support they need when it matters most.'


Neonatal Care Leave Policy 

  • Our Neonatal Care Leave Policy goes beyond the statutory pay entitlement, offering full pay during the neonatal admission period for one week up to a maximum of twelve weeks, subject to colleagues meeting the pay eligibility criteria, as outlined in the policy. 
  • Neonatal care leave is in addition to other leave entitlements, such as maternity, adoption, shared parental, and paternity leave, and can be taken at any point during the first 68 weeks following a baby’s birth or adoption placement. This flexibility allows parents to manage their time during what can be a challenging period. 
  • The policy outlines two tiers of neonatal care leave (Tier 1 and Tier 2) and provides details on how leave can be taken, depending on the type of family leave a colleague may already be on. It also clarifies the process for notifying us of an intention to take neonatal leave. 

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