Aim: To study the parental perception of conflicting advice and confidentiality during staff communication on the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and to relate this to baby and parent characteristics.

Methods: This is a prospective questionnaire study. Parents of babies admitted to the NICU were approached at the time of or soon after baby’s discharge/transfer/death. Baby characteristics collected: demographic data, severity of complication and length of stay. Parental characteristics collected: ethnicity, social class, religion, family support and maternal age. Data collected on staff communication: frequency and place of update, parental perception of confidentiality and conflicting advice.

Results: A total of 397 parents were approached and 210 (52.9%) responded. 39.7% of parents reported that they were given conflicting advice. Parents of babies with complex clinical problems (49%) reported that they were given conflicting advice (p = 0.027). 41.4% of parents reported that the confidentiality was breached; more common in parents from social classes I–IV (p = 0.013). 19.2% of discussion was conducted in private. Significantly higher numbers (26.2%) of parents who received conflicting advice also reported that confidentiality was not maintained (p = 0.0001). Discussion in the ward or presence of other parents was the most common reason for breach of confidentiality. Significantly higher numbers of parents who reported breach in confidentiality (88.8%, p<0.001) and received conflicting advice (71.4%, p = 0.005) were also not satisfied with the overall care provided.

Conclusions: One third of parents reported breach in confidentiality and received conflicting advice during staff communication. Providing proper parent communication may help in improving parental satisfaction with overall care provided.