Kirsty Williams AM says "Babies in intensive care need one to one nursing" (Kirsty Williams AM )

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Kirsty Williams AM <info@kirstywilliams.org.uk>

Kirsty Williams AM says "Babies in intensive care need one to one nursing"

November 19, 2008 4:00 PM

Brecon and Radnorshire AM Kirsty Williams 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. She attended the launch reception for Bliss' latest report Baby steps to better care / Camau bach at ofal gwell and has now written to her local Health Board asking them what actions they are taking to ensure that sick and premature babies in her constituency receive the same care as everyone else.

When critically ill, babies should receive exactly the same care as children and adults - one nurse to one patient. However, research conducted by Bliss over the past three years highlights the fundamental shortage of specially trained neonatal nurses that still exists. This means that the standards of care for sick and premature babies are being compromised. They simply are not receiving the one to one care and attention they deserve and desperately require.

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.

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.

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.

Kirsty Williams AM says "We desperately need more specially trained neonatal nurses so that we can have the required one to one nursing. All babies deserve the best start in life and that's why I'm backing the Bliss campaign"

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."

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 Kirsty Williams AM asking for action to be taken to address the shortage.