 News
27th November 2006
New cot system to save babies
A computer program which allows doctors to find hospital cots for critically
ill babies has been launched this weekend.
The system which has government funding could potentially
save babies' lives by saving time when looking for available cots.
Up until now staff have had to call around hospitals to
find who had available cots.
The charity Bliss say that cot shortages are costing lives,
with three babies a day having to travel to high dependancy units.
Latest research shows that one in eight babies needs some
degree of care in a neonatal unit.
There are 24 neonatal regions in the UK, and while most
doctors try to keep critically ill babies in their locality, there are
occasions when this isn't possible such as when babies need specialist
surgery available at only certain hospitals.
And while hospitals aim for at least 95 per cent of newborns
needing neonatal care to receive it in their region, Andy Cole from Bliss
says many are not reaching this target.
"This new system will hopefully be very simple to use and
will help," he said but he stressed that occasionally there are just no
cots available so babies need to sometimes travel hundreds of miles for
a neonatal intensive care cot.
"We don't know the exact numbers because they are not recorded,
but we know from case studies and examples that it happens on a regular
basis," he said.
Health minister Ivan Lewis, said, "On the occasions when
a suitable cot is needed outside of the local network, a call to the National
Neonatal Cot Locator will provide immediate up-to-date information about
more distant options, making sure that these transfers can happen quickly,
are effectively planned and can go as smoothly as possible.
"This will make a real difference to families and professionals
seeking to ensure that babies and parents get the best possible care in
usually very challenging circumstances."
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