Charity calls for greater mental health support for families after neonatal intensive care
In an open letter, supported and signed by a collection of neonatal charities, healthcare professionals and 600 supporters, premature baby charity The Smallest Things asks Wes Streeting MP to take urgent action to recognise and meet the unique mental health and wellbeing needs of parents after premature birth and the trauma of neonatal intensive care.
Each year in the UK, more than 90,000 babies are born prematurely (before 37 weeks’ gestation) and/or sick.
Following an often sudden and traumatic birth, a baby is taken straight to the NICU, marking the beginning of what can be an agonising journey of separation, anxiety and uncertainty for parents and carers.
Founder of The Smallest Things Catriona Ogilvy said: “Families consistently tell us their needs are overlooked after neonatal intensive care and that no one understands the lasting impact that premature birth and a neonatal intensive care admission can have on mental health and wellbeing.
“We know that children born prematurely are frequently readmitted to hospital after coming home from hospital and this only contributes to the experiences of re-lived trauma and ongoing uncertainty for families. Considering the high levels of stress, anxiety and trauma families are exposed to, it comes as no surprise that the incidences of mental health difficulties such as post traumatic stress disorder are thought to be as high as 70% in neonatal parents, and yet services to meet these needs are lacking. That is why we have come together with charity partners and professionals to call for urgent action.”
The Smallest Things calls on the Health Secretary to help parents be with their baby or babies while they are in neonatal intensive care by providing onsite accommodation and to support them with the transition from hospital to home, making sure hospital, outreach, health visiting and follow-up services are joined up. In addition, the charity is calling for a new GP six-week and six-month 'After NICU' wellbeing check for all neonatal parents and for the Health Secretary to make sure that there is a dedicated and trained neonatal lead in every health visiting team.
The Smallest Things is a parent-led premature baby charity, established in 2014, recognising that the journey through neonatal care does not end when parents bring their baby or babies home from hospital.
Emma spent 12 weeks visiting her daughter Freya in NICU and is healing from PTSD.
