Montgomeryshire Mick Bates says "Babies have the same right to care as everybody else" (Montgomeryshire Liberal Democrats)

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Montgomeryshire Liberal Democrats <montlibdems@gmail.com>

Montgomeryshire Mick Bates says "Babies have the same right to care as everybody else"

November 20, 2008 12:00 AM

Mick Bates AM and Kirsty Williams AM at launch of Bliss Neonatal report

Montgomeryshire AM Mick Bates is supporting the special care baby charity Bliss' new campaign on the shortage of neonatal nurses and the importance of one to one nursing in neonatal care and has attended the launch reception for Bliss' latest report 'Baby steps to better care / Camau bach at ofal gwell'.

Baby steps to better care (2008) found that around 500 more nurses were still needed in Wales to meet the minimum clinical standards set by the British Association for Perinatal Medicine (BAPM) in 2001. These standards come down to the one to one ratio that should be addressed to ensure that all premature and sick babies receive the best level of care.

Commenting, Mick Bates AM: "It is crucial that when critically ill, babies should receive exactly the same care as children and adults - one nurse to one patient. But according to research undertaken by Bliss, there is still a huge shortage of specially trained neonatal nurses. This means that standards of care for sick and premature babies are being compromised and they simply are not receiving the one to one care and attention they deserve and desperately require.

"I have written to Powys LHB to highlight these issues and ask what action the LHB are taking to ensure that sick and premature babies in Montgomeryshire receive the same care as everyone else and I look forward to their response."

In order to achieve one to one care for babies requiring neonatal intensive care, Bliss wants to see the following actions take place:

1. The BAPM standards acknowledged by professionals to be the appropriate standards for setting operating practices in neonatal care in Wales

2. Neonatal networks, hospitals and primary care trusts taking concrete actions to raise staffing levels.

3. A large public awareness of this fundamental issue in neonatal care.

Bob Phillipson, Bliss Campaigns and Policy Manager says: "The role of the intensive care neonatal nurse is crucial not only to the survival and health outcomes of the baby, but also to the wellbeing of the family. The One to one campaign does not rest alone with intensive care nursing, but it aims to tackle nursing shortages at all levels of neonatal care."

End/Diwedd

Notes:

• Bliss' One to one campaign is supported by the British Association of Perinatal Medicine and the Neonatal Nurses Association, and is in association with the Royal College of Nursing and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.

• To get involved and take positive action towards the achievement of one to one nursing care visit www.121nursing.org.uk and send an e-card to Health Minister Edwina Hart, your local Health Board or Mick Bates AM asking for action to be taken to address the shortage.