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2007-10-11 Britain

Britain's NHS Baby Units 'On Brink Of Collapse'

Special care baby units in Britain are "near breaking point", with some babies being turned away because they cannot ensure adequate care, a charity has warned.

Baby charity Bliss said a lack of funding had also left some units struggling to meet minimum staffing levels. A spokesman said: "All the evidence points to a neonatal service that is on the brink of collapse."

The report found many neonatal units were forced to refuse new admissions for considerable periods of time because of staff shortages. Mothers and babies may be forced to travel long distances in search of a unit with the appropriate facilities to care for them, the charity said.

Bliss's new study - Too Little Too Late - Are We Ensuring The Best Start For Babies Born Too Soon? - was based on surveys of 195 neonatal units across the UK. It found that units were forced to refuse new admissions for an average total of two weeks out of a six-month period. And 10% closed their doors to new admissions for eight weeks or more over six months.

The study also found that most units were operating above the 70% average occupancy level recommended by experts.

Nonsense. You can run 95% occupancy -- we do for months at a time -- as long as you have adequate staff. Of course that costs money, which the NHS is spending on aromatherapy ...

Although some new nurses have been recruited, the service is still 2,600 nurses short of the recommended number, the study said.

Bliss chief executive Andy Cole said: "The Department Of Health's recent commitment to provide extra midwives is a step in the right direction for maternity services.

"We now need to see the same commitment to ensuring there are adequate numbers of trained neonatal nurses for those babies born sick or premature."

Health Minister Ann Keen said the Government had set up 23 local neonatal networks to meet the demands of babies requiring care.

Posted by Anonymoose 2007-10-11 12:36|| E-Mail|| Front Page|| [679 views ] Top

#1 Can't happen here, can it, Hillary...

Posted by tu3031 2007-10-11 13:31|| 2007-10-11 13:31|| Front Page Top

#2 My best advice, and it isn't much, is don't be poor in Britain.

Posted by bigjim-ky 2007-10-11 15:17|| 2007-10-11 15:17|| Front Page Top

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