CQC recommendations to improve care for newborn babies & infants with complex health problems
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On 7th July 2016, the Care Quality Commission published a national report that has identified a lack of guidance and agreed best practice to support NHS trusts to identify and manage serious health risks in newborn babies and infants, and has made a number of recommendations to address inconsistencies in current practice.
These recommendations are being supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) and the British Association of Perinatal Medicine (BAPM), as well as a number of other organisations, all of whom have provided expertise and advice to CQC’s review.
The review looked specifically at the management of newborn babies and infants with complex health conditions in hospital and in the community. It focused on three areas of care; the detection of health problems during pregnancy through screening, the diagnosis and management of newborn babies with deteriorating medical conditions, (with a particular focus on high blood pressure), and the management of infants requiring respiratory support in the community.
Although the report highlights many of examples of good practice in each area, CQC found variation nationally, potentially due to the lack of national guidance about the management of at-risk babies and infants, and inconsistent processes to communicate information from one specialty team to another.
The findings in CQC’s report are based on evidence sourced during visits to 19 NHS acute hospital trusts, information from 16 clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and eight long-term ventilation network leads working in the community. CQC also spoke with 10 parents or guardians of children with respiratory support needs living at home and receiving care in the community.
The review has identified some very specific areas where additional guidance and clarity on practice is needed and has made a series of recommendations to help support improvements for babies, infants and their families.
To read CQC’s review, “Identifying and managing clinical risks in newborn babies and providing care for infants in the community who need respiratory support” please [click here]
The National Maternity Review Online Survey Analysis – Survey on Loss and Complications can be found on the NHS England website by [clicking here]
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