I understand that having a sick or premature baby can take an emotional and physical toll on any parent and I recognise that well-organised, effective and responsive neonatal care can make a vital difference. That is why the Government is committed to the provision of high quality neonatal services established on evidence-based good practice.
The Government has provided over £37 million in capital funding over two years to improve facilities in maternity and neonatal care units across the country. This included projects to create parent accommodation with bedrooms, kitchen and sitting areas and en-suite bathrooms to provide a comfortable environment for parents and their families.
The Government is working hard to make the NHS one of the safest places in the world to give birth. In 2015, a national ambition to halve the rates of stillbirths, neonatal and maternal deaths and brain injuries occurring during or soon after birth by 2030 was announced. To support this, the Government provided £2.24 million to enable trusts to buy monitoring and training equipment to improve safety in maternity and neonatal units. The Department of Health is also investing over £1 million in training programmes to make sure staff have the skills and confidence they need to deliver world-leading safe care.
In addition, the Government has committed to investing £365 million between 2015/16 and 2020/21 to improve specialist perinatal mental health services.
The independent National Maternity Review reported in February 2016 and set out several recommendations designed to make maternity care safer and give women greater control and choice. A Maternity Transformation Programme Board has been established to drive forward this vision for maternity services.
The Government will work with NHS England to consider the recommendations of the Bliss report. Ministers will continue to work closely with Bliss and others to improve neonatal services, so that all premature and sick babies receive the best possible care.
By Patrick McLoughlin on December 01, 2016