Parents Voice Concern Over Neonatal Intensive Care Transfer

Parents have spoken of their concern about the transfer of premature babies born in North Wales to hospitals in England.

Last week Wrexham.com reported on leaked Betsi Cadwalar University Health Board documents that suggested that babies born under 27 weeks would be treated in Arrowe Park Hospital.

Alongside this the documents also revealed that babies born eight weeks premature could also be transferred.

Currently two hospitals in North Wales provide specialist neonatal care, namely Glan Clwyd hospital in Bodelwyddan and Wrexham Maelor hospital. The move to Arrowe Park means those using Wrexham’s service now face the 35 mile journey.

In one of the documents shown to Wrexham.com, it stated that from 23rd February 2014, all babies born at 26+6 weeks or less will be transferred into the ‘Cheshire-Merseyside Neonatal network’.

For babies at gestations / 27 weeks, services would continue as usual in the units based at the Wrexham Maelor Hospital, Glan Clwyd and Ysbyty Gwynedd.

The issue generated a a fair bit of discussion on our Facebook page, with opinions divided on whether or not the move to hospitals further afield was a good decision.

Emma Louise Williams posted to say that she understands why the move needs to happen as her daughter was ‘treated blindly’ by the staff at Wrexham as they do not have the specialist equipment needed.

Emma went on to say: “Specialist hospital for specialist needs is the only way to go especially with premature babies and their fight to survive.”

However others disagreed with the proposed move, voicing concerns of the stress and trauma that can be caused to premature babies during the transfer to a new hospital.

Helen Cliffe wrote: “It makes me extremely sad to read this & to be honest I don’t think anyone is in a position to comment unless you’ve been in this position.

“My premature baby was moved from Wrexham to Liverpool last year & the process of doing this with a mobile intensive care unit/transport incubator is extremely stressful not to mention life threatening for the baby.
The trauma of doing this is unbearable & I speak first hand of this.

“The staff at SCBU at Wrexham Maelor are first class, experienced, truly amazing neonatal nurses with wealth of knowledge & experience. The cost involved with this project why are they not investing this isn’t more specialised equipment that the report details they don’t have?”

The separation of a new born baby from its parents was also discussed, with Rhianon Morgan Copeland commenting: “I will never forget my tiny baby being transferred in the intensive care incubator and not being able to travel with him for the three hour plus journey was horrible.”

Speaking about the leaked documents last week Llyr Gruffydd, Plaid Cymru AM for North Wales said: “I fear we are seeing a stealthy but steady erosion of neonatal care across North Wales, with babies and parents facing increasingly long journeys for what was provided locally. Plaid Cymru warned that centralising intensive care for the sickest babies in England was the thin end of the wedge and now we’re seeing that come to pass.