This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen
on .
It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
Half of London’s premature babies treated elsewhere
Sorry - the page you are looking for has been removed
(about 5 hours later)
More than half of the babies that were born prematurely in London last year had to be transported to specialist units outside the capital for ongoing treatment, according to a report.
This may be because of a legal objection, a rights consideration or for another reason. If you would like to contact someone about the page, you could email:
The study published on Monday by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health highlights the shortage of neonatal care for premature babies in London, revealing that 56% had to be transferred to specialist units away from the capital in 2013, compared with 13% in Manchester and 12% in Wales.
To continue reading, please use the links at the top of the page or visit the Guardian’s home page or search for related content.
Overall the report said care for babies born in England and Wales has improved greatly over the last seven years, with a record number of neonatal units meeting national care standards. But it said there was still work to do to ensure the highest standards of care were available across England and Wales.
Dr Sam Oddie, clinical lead for the research, said: “I am delighted that national neonatal audit programme can now show rapid improvements in audit results, with very nearly all babies getting care that meets our audit standards. There is still work to be done though to ensure that each and every baby who is admitted to a neonatal unit receives the same high standard of care regardless of postcode.”
The report reveals a steady rise in the number of babies being breastfed when discharged from hospital – from 54% in 2011 to 59% in 2013. But it highlights large regional differences, with those born early in the south of England more likely to go home breastfeeding than those born in the north of England, increasing the chance of infection and disease for those not breastfeeding – particularly concerning for premature babies needing specialist care.
Oddie said: “As being born early carries a small health disadvantage, early babies have so much to gain from breastfeeding – they will be at lower risk of complications of prematurity as well as being less susceptible to allergy and infections. So the steady rise in the number of early babies going home breastfeeding is encouraging. What is concerning though, is the north/south divide.”
He said although the early days and weeks of breastfeeding could be challenging it had important benefits, and he called on health workers to offer mothers as much support as possible.
”The benefits it carries, for mum and baby alike, are worth the persistence,” he said. “So we need all healthcare professionals to support mothers to breastfeed. Doing this will not only drive up national breastfeeding rates but more importantly, bridge that gap.”
The report is based on data from 80,000 babies from 179 neonatal units in England and Wales.
