Bliss calls for urgent investment in neonatal care

On 19 July representatives from Bliss, The Lullaby Trust and TAMBA (Twins and Multiple Births Association) came together to hand in Bliss' open letter addressed to NHS England CEO Simon Stevens at the NHS England head offices at Skipton House, London. The letter calls for a review of funding levels for neonatal care so that services can meet the government and NHS's own standards for safety and quality. It is signed by over 3,700 Bliss supporters and endorsed by 16 professional bodies and health charities.

The Bliss Baby report: hanging in the balance, released in October 2015, showed that neonatal services in England are understaffed and under-resourced. Since then, NHS England has committed to a neonatal transformation programme to find where there is unmet need and make recommendations to address this, but Bliss says this is not enough on its own.