UHDB neonatal teams welcome new arrival BadgerNet, the new digital system transforming how we care
Parents with poorly babies who require neonatal support across University Hospitals of Derby and Burton (UHDB) can now access regular updates on their mobile phone following the launch of BadgerNet, an electronic patient record system (EPR) that transforms how detailed information about neonatal babies is recorded and accessed.
BadgerNet is a nationally recognised digital system for maternity and neonatal services which allows real time data about women and birthing people and babies to be recorded all in one place. The system went live in maternity in June 2024 and as it has a patient portal element where women and birthing people can access advice and information, appointments and see their notes online.
Our neonatal and digital teams have worked hard to introduce the system to our neonatal services too and the system went live on 28 January 2025 providing a single joined up system across maternity and neonatal services at Queen's Hospital Burton and Royal Derby Hospital.
In addition to the patient access benefit, BadgerNet allows clinical teams to input live observations using a digital device which reduces reliance on paper notes, and having a single shared EPR means patient records can easily be transferred across the Trust and with neighbouring neonatal units if we need to transfer a baby into our unit, or out to another hospital.
Families whose babies are cared for across UHDB neonatal services can access Baby Diary, a patient portal element which can be seen on their personal devices for regular updates on their baby.
To celebrate the roll out, the first neonatal babies enrolled onto BadgerNet have been gifted a badger baby grow, including 19-week-old Audrina Makwelero, who has been cared for by colleagues at Royal Derby Hospital's neonatal unit.
Audrina's mother, Tamanda, was pleased to see the system go-live, particularly the Baby Diary element providing easy access to updates on her baby's progress on her mobile phone.
Angela Beardsley, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner at UHDB, has been involved with the project from the outset and she explained the benefits of BadgerNet for both patients, their families and UHDB colleagues.
She said: "BadgerNet links all of our systems together. Everything can be seen on one programme rather than looking at a number of charts. When patients transfer between different areas the care goes with them, bringing the network, and maternity neonatal teams together."
Launching a new digital system is a large transformational project involving colleagues from neonatal services and the Trusts digital team. Stacey Hatton, Chief Nursing Information Officer, has thanked teams for their hard work over the last year to prepare for the BadgerNet launch: "Launching BadgerNet is a huge achievement for both our teams and our patients and their families, providing streamlined care from maternity through to neonates. I am really proud of all the efforts of our teams, both digital and clinical, who have made this a reality."