NHS baby transfer service has ‘unacceptable gaps’

A survey by the sick and premature baby charity Bliss has revealed that many neonatal transfer services throughout the UK are under-resourced and understaffed, with some babies having to wait too long for life-saving care.

There are currently 17 dedicated transfer services in the UK transferring around 16,000 babies between hospitals.

The survey found that in one week across the UK, six out of eleven services had gaps in their staff rotas.

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health’s Prof Neena Modi, said that neonatal services had borne significant cuts in funding and that staff shortages were a long-term issue. “Delay in transfer can seriously adversely affect a baby’s chances of a good outcome, so this is completely unacceptable for a modern health service.”

NHS standards recommend that babies be transferred within one hour of the call being received, and the report found that eight units in England were not able to achieve this target.

The authors of the report say the NHS and the government need to resolve staff shortages and increase funding for the services “so that every baby has the best chance of survival and quality of life.”

A spokesperson from NHS England has said “Despite increasing demand, studies consistently show standards of NHS neonatal care are equivalent to other countries.

“We continue to work across the health service to improve neonatal services, ensuring every premature or sick baby achieves the best outcomes and care within the resources available.”

Chadwick Lawrence’s team of medical negligence lawyers have years of experience in high value and complex medical negligence compensation claims and have an excellent record. The team is led by Tony May, a specialist cerebral palsy and birth injury solicitor, who has over 20 years experience in handling cases in which babies have been brain damaged or sustained other injuries as a result of medical negligence.  He and his team continue to represent many cerebral palsy children and young adults in medical negligence claims.  Tony also acts as the Court of Protection Deputy for many of the cerebral palsy and brain damaged clients that he has represented, so we can continue to support you after your case is settled.  Tony can be contacted by email on tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk.  Alternatively, please call and speak to any of Chadwick Lawrence’s specialist medical negligence Legal Aid and no win-no fee solicitors for free legal advice on the freephone number below.

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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.