NHS
Improvement has issued a Patient Safety Alert regarding the need to
support safer care for full-term babies. While the decision to
admit neonates usually occurs within the maternity unit/team, staff
should be aware of this alert as babies born in the community who
are conveyed to hospital are in scope for this alert.
While some term baby admissions are entirely
appropriate (for example babies born with a congenital
abnormality), up to 30% of neonatal unit admissions between 2011
and 2013 were considered avoidable. We found that the need for
improved identification of babies at risk of deterioration was a
common theme. Although we focused on avoiding harm requiring
admission, we also identified learning in relation to babies whose
care could have been managed in a setting that kept mother and baby
together in hospital or in the community.
Please read the relevant resources signposted
from the alert document.
You can find the full alert and associated
resources in the Clinical Zone, Patient
Safety Alerts.