Premature babies are not receiving care they deserve
Published: 19 September 2008
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and other key stakeholders (i), are calling for premature babies to have the same rights to care that adults receive in intensive care units. Using their professional expertise they have come together today to launch a joint position statement on neonatal nurse staffing levels – ‘A Right to Care’.
The statement calls for a UK-wide reorganisation of neonatal services from funding to the issue of recruitment and retention of neonatal nurses. The RCN is calling for:
• One nurse for one baby to be the standard in all neonatal intensive care settings as recommended by the British Association of Perinatal Medicine (ii).
• 70% of registered nurses working in intensive care environment to have specialist post-registration education in neonatal nursing care (iii).
• Neonatal units to allow 25 per cent time allowance for staff absences, (annual leave, sickness and training and development) to ensure that the care is not compromised due to staff shortages.
Over the last 20 years, due to medical and technological advances, there have been improved survival rates for premature and low birth weight babies, yet funding for staff and training has not kept pace with demand. Studies by Bliss (iv) have indicated that many units are often closed due to lack of specialist nursing staff, with only 4% achieving recommended staffing levels.
RCN Chief Executive & General Secretary Dr Peter Carter said: “Babies are one of the most vulnerable groups in society and we have to ensure that we secure increased funding and investment in specialist staff to care for them. Only then will we be able to ensure neonatal units are operating at safe levels and babies are receiving the best possible treatment. Our statement launched today should be used to focus on addressing recruitment and retention of neonatal nurses in the UK and for sustained investment in education and training”
Andy Cole, Chief Executive at Bliss said: “We wholeheartedly agree that sick and premature babies should receive the same level of care as children and adults. The care of our most vulnerable babies continues to be compromised by a lack of qualified neonatal staff and the recruitment and training of more nurses must be a top priority for every Trust and Health Board.”
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Notes to Editors
A copy of position statement on neonatal nurse staffing levels – ‘A Right to Care’ available via the
RCN media office on 020 7647 3633 or go to http://www.rcn.org.uk/cyp/neonatal
(i) Other groups involved in producing the statement are: Bliss, Scottish Neonatal Nurses Group, Wales Neonatal Nurses Group, NI Neonatal Nurses, British Association Perinatal Medicine, Children’s Rights Alliance.
(ii) British Association of Perinatal Medicine (2001) Standards for hospitals providing neonatal intensive and high dependency care – 2nd edition, London: BAPM
(iii) RCN (2003) Defining staffing levels for children and young people’s services, London: RCN
(iv) National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit (2006) Networks admissions and transfers; the perspective of parents. Redshaw M. Hamilton K. University of Oxford.
For further information, interviews or illustrations please contact the RCN Media Office on 0207 647 3633, press.office@rcn.org.uk or visit http://www.rcn.org.uk/news/mediacentre.php
Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is the voice of nursing across the UK and is the largest professional union of nursing staff in the world. The RCN promotes the interest of nurses and patients on a wide range of issues and helps shape healthcare policy by working closely with the UK Government and other national and international institutions, trade unions, professional bodies and voluntary organisations.