The improvements, which were funded by a £1.2m grant from NHS England plus local contractor donations and £100,000 from the hospital charity's Space to Grow Appeal, took almost a year to complete with work having begun in October 2023.

Francesca Matthews, neonatal matron, said: ‘As one of just four level 3 units in the Yorkshire and Humber region, we regularly provide care for some of the most seriously ill and premature babies across our area, but we have accepted babies in the past from as far afield as Northampton and Stevenage because of our specialist experience and facilities.

‘As well as being able to care for more critically ill and high dependency babies in more modern and suitable surroundings, the expansion of the unit also allows flexibility in the wider system. Our maternity colleagues have greater confidence supporting high risk birthing people as they know we have the skills and facilities on site should they be needed, and we can flex to take babies from outside of our immediate geographical area too.'

The unit has expanded to be able to accommodate up to 29 babies. Its capacity to care for the sickest or most premature babies has also increased, rising from five to seven intensive care cots, plus NICU now boasts 10 high dependency cots, upon from the previous figure of seven.