| Synopsis: |
This NAO report, "Caring for Vulnerable Babies: The Reorganisation of Neonatal Services in England (HC 101)", examines the reorganisation of neonatal services in England and has set out a number of facts in regard of baby births. In 2006, 635,748 babies were born in England with 62,471 babies - approximately 10 per cent of all births - admitted to neonatal units. Babies require neonatal care because they are premature, have a low birth weight or suffer from illness or a condition such as a heart defect.The NAO also states that there is a trend in low weight babies increasing in the UK and other developed countries. Premature babies are the result of a number of factors, including maternal age, obesity, smoking, ethnic origin, deprivation and assisted conception such as IVF. Also, the number of women giving birth at 40 years of age or more has more than doubled since 1986.The NAO has set out a number of findings and recommendations, including: that there is a widespread support for neonatal services to be delivered through managed clinical networks but these networks have evolved at different rates; most clinical networks have made progress in reducing long-distance transfers but only half provide specialist transport services 24 hours a day, seven days a week; that there has been an improvement in communication between clinical networks; that there are still capacity problems that undermine the effectiveness and efficiency of neonatal care, and that this is often due to a shortage of nurses; that a greater account should be taken of parent's needs when neonatal care is required such as communication with medical staff, information about the babies' care, and accommodation for the parents; the costs of neonatal services are not fully understood; and there is a mismatch between costs and charges. |