Doctor wins award for neonatal jaundice programme

An NHS consultant has won a national award for her work improving the recognition, assessment and care of neonatal jaundice in babies with darker skin tones.

Dr Helen Gbinigie, who works at Medway Maritime Hospital in Gillingham, Kent, has been named inclusive leader of the year at the BAME Health and Care Awards.

She was nominated for her Jaundice in Darker Skin Tone Babies Programme, which "tackles inequalities in the care of babies with neonatal jaundice and helps ensure fairer care for all newborns", the hospital said.

Gbinigie said: "Creating long-term change requires joint working, compassion and a shared commitment to equity."

She added: "I hope this award shines a light on the importance of building inclusive cultures and driving meaningful change for both our workforce and the communities we serve."

Jaundice is a common condition in newborns which presents as yellowing of the skin in babies with paler skin tones.

It is easily treatable if detected early, but it can appear differently in babies with darker skin tones, making it harder to detect and increasing the risk of delayed diagnosis and treatment.

The Jaundice in Darker Skin Tone Babies Programme has trained over 1,200 healthcare professionals across more than 80 NHS organisations across the UK.

The judges said: "This leader translated a clearly identified health inequality into sustained national change in neonatal care."

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