Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg MP and Kirsty Williams AM visit University Wales Hospital’s sick and premature babies (Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen Liberal Democrats)

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Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen Liberal Democrats <Brian.Thomas@blaenau-gwent.gov.uk>

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg MP and Kirsty Williams AM visit University Wales Hospital’s sick and premature babies

April 17, 2009 12:00 AM
Originally published by Welsh Liberal Democrats

Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats and Kirsty Williams, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats is today visiting the staff caring for sick and premature babies in the neonatal unit at the University Wales Hospital. The visit, organised by Bliss, the special care baby charity, aims to raise awareness of the provision of care available for premature and sick newborns in the UK and the issues their parents face.

In Wales 3,800 premature and sick babies are born each year who need specialist hospital care, yet the neonatal services to care for them are overstretched and understaffed, said Bliss' 2008 annual report Baby Steps to Better Care /Camau bach at ofal gwell.

To meet the minimum nurse staffing standard set out by the British Association of Perinatal Medicine in 2001, the number of nurses needed in Wales needs to increase by a third.

Nick Clegg MP said "For parents, there is nothing more desperately worrying than complications and sickness when their babies are newborn. The importance of the job that the nurses and staff do here and at neonatal units across the country is beyond measure. "It's important that more people are encouraged to become neonatal nurses in order to provide the vital one-to-one nursing these babies require."

Kirsty Williams AM said:"I recently visited the Royal Gwent NHS Trust in Newport and I was amazed at the care that is being given to premature and sick babies however, there needs to be more funding and more training given nurses to be able to give one-to-one treatment for babies to get the start in life they deserve.

Andy Cole, Bliss Chief Executive said:"It is great that both Nick Clegg MP and Kirsty Williams AM are visiting University Hospital Wales and will get a first hand understanding of what premature and sick babies go through on a neonatal unit and the challenges which staff and families have to face every day. One to one nursing care is the minimum standard for anyone admitted to intensive care in the UK. Currently this standard is met for children and adults but not for babies. At Bliss, we are dedicated to ensuring that these standards are achieved across Wales."