SICK babies have been transferred to temporary accommodation at the Royal United Hospital, Bath, so a major refurbishment of the newborn intensive care unit can take place.

The babies were moved on Saturday to the hospital's old accident and emergency department, which was vacated following the opening of a brand new emergency department in June.

The refurbishment of the newborn intensive care unit is costing £280,000 and will take ten weeks.

The work includes providing a larger and more welcoming reception area, converting the existing staff room into a new day room for families and creating a separate children's play area.

Other improvements involve reorganising the nurses' station to provide two new work stations, making better use of available space within the unit for storage, equipment and creating a new staff room.

The cost is partly being met from national modernisation funding for maternity services with the remainder coming from the hospital trust as part of its ongoing capital improvements programme.

The hospital League of Friends is donating £18,000 to help pay for fittings and furnishings in the family areas.

Debbie Slocombe, senior nurse at the newborn intensive care unit, said: "Some of our babies, particularly those born very prematurely, can be with us for several months and it is extremely important that as well as providing them with the very best clinical care we look after the needs of their parents and relatives within a welcoming environment.

"We are also most grateful to the hospital's League of Friends for their generous donation to help furnish and equip the family rooms."

The newborn intensive care unit can accommodate 21 babies and on average admits 500 babies a year.