Bliss (charity) Bliss (charity) Bliss is the leading UK charity for babies born premature or sick. It supports families with a baby in neonatal care, works with health professionals to provide training and improve care for babies, campaigns for improved hospital resources across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and is actively involved in pioneering neonatal research. It exists to give every baby born premature or sick in the UK the best chance of survival and quality of life. Its Chief Executive is Caroline Lee-Davey. Bliss was founded in 1979 when a letter was sent to the Daily Telegraph in response to
Neonatal intensive care unit infant mortality. The development of pulmonary surfactant, which facilitates the oxygenation and ventilation of underdeveloped lungs, has been the most important development in neonatology to date. By the 1970s, NICUs were an established part of hospitals in the developed world. In Britain, some early units ran community programmes, sending experienced nurses to help care for premature babies at home. But increasingly technological monitoring and therapy meant special care for babies became hospital-based. By the 1980s, over 90% of births took place in hospital. The emergency dash from home to the NICU with baby in a transport incubator had become a