Question
Untitled item
S6W-23794 · Written Question · lodged by Baillie, Jackie
Lodged on
11 Dec 2023Heard / answered on
29 Dec 2023To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has undertaken of any additional capacity required for the Scottish Ambulance Service to move premature babies between NHS boards as part of its reported plans to downgrade neonatal units in Scotland.
The answer
The recommendations for the new neonatal model of care are underpinned by strong evidence that population outcomes for the most premature and sickest babies are improved by delivery and care in units looking after a critical mass of these babies, with experienced staff, and with full support services.
The Best Start recommended that Scotland should move from the current model of eight Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) to a model of three units supported by the continuation of current NICUs redesignated as Local Neonatal Units (LNU’s).
As part of the next phase of the work Scottish Government have commissioned Consulting firm RSM-UK to undertake detailed modelling work to fully map the capacity requirements across the system to inform capacity building and implementation of the new model.
The Scottish Ambulance Service will be included as part of the modelling work. We expect that mothers in threatened extreme early labour, or those whose babies will need surgery, will be identified pre-birth and will birth in the maternity unit alongside the NICU. The Perinatal Network has been leading some work, and recently published guidance on transfer in these cases.
The Best Start recommended that Scotland should move from the current model of eight Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) to a model of three units supported by the continuation of current NICUs redesignated as Local Neonatal Units (LNU’s).
As part of the next phase of the work Scottish Government have commissioned Consulting firm RSM-UK to undertake detailed modelling work to fully map the capacity requirements across the system to inform capacity building and implementation of the new model.
The Scottish Ambulance Service will be included as part of the modelling work. We expect that mothers in threatened extreme early labour, or those whose babies will need surgery, will be identified pre-birth and will birth in the maternity unit alongside the NICU. The Perinatal Network has been leading some work, and recently published guidance on transfer in these cases.
Answered by Jenni Minto on 29 Dec 2023.