700 Babies Saved In A Year At L&D

9 June 2010, 09:41

More than 700 seriously ill or premature babies were treated at the L&D last year, since their neonatal unit was extended.

Some of the most sick and premature babies who are on the very knife edge of life – weighing less than a bag of sugar and as early as 24 weeks gestation, ie 16 weeks premature – are looked after there.

Others are not premature but may have had a complicated birth or be born with serious health condition or problems.

Building work on the new bigger neonatal intensive care unit is underway, where it hopes to add a total of 36 cots and more live-saving equipment by spring 2011.

The hospital has been allocated 7 million to build a new building. But they want to raise an additional £1.5 million to make special enhancements and buy new equipment. £250,000 has been raised in the last week, and they need £100,000 more by the end of this year to make sure they have al equipment before the building opens next year.

Doctor Sarah Skinner is the neonatal consultant at the L&D. She has been telling Heart:

“When I fist started we only had 5 intensive care cots. At the moment we’ve expanded so we have up to 19 intensive and high-dependency cots and we are planning to expand even further and for us to do that we need more space.”

Operational manager Jackie Orton says the new unit will also provide more facilities for the parents:

“At the moment there is nowhere for them to sit and have a cup of coffee and if they need to stay because their babies are very unwell, the facilities are not ideal. We are aware of that and want to improve that for the parents.”

Sarah Newby is the fundraising manager at the L&D.

To hear an interview with the fundraising manager at the L&D, Sarah Newby, click here

If you are interested in raising money for the neo-natal unit at the L&D you can find out more information by going to www.ldh.nhs.co.uk/fundraising. There is information there on how you can donate, how you can get involved or other events that are coming up that you can visit or take part in.