Neuroprotection

The East of England Perinatal Networks which covers Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, have been awarded a quality improvement grant from the Health Foundation.  The quality improvement grant is to develop a family centred approach to the care of newborn infants suffering from neonatal encephalopathy (oxygen deprivation at birth).

Family centred care is at the heart of the project.    The aim of the project is to improve the quality of care these infants receive throughout their journey from birth to childhood by developing an integrated, coordinated and family centred service for all infants from across the region.

In order to achieve a coordinated approach to caring for these infants we will be educating and involving health professionals across the region in the following areas:  identification of affected infants and refer them for cooling, neuroprotection which is the management of a baby with neonatal encephalopathy in order to maximise their neuro-developmental potential, neuroimaging and follow up.  We have a small team of doctors, nurses and allied healthcare professionals from across the east of England that will be working to achieve the goals of the project.

What is the project setting out to do?

The project will ensure that every eligible infant in the region has the opportunity to receive the cooling intervention (a treatment that has shown to help these infants by cooling their body temperature for 72 hours to prevent long term brain damage) and treatment is started as soon as possible after birth in order to maximise any potential benefit.   This means recognising an affected infant soon after birth and transporting the infant to one of three cooling centres in the region (Addenbrookes, Norfolk and Norwich or Luton and Dunstable hospitals).

The infant should receive the highest standard of care, including brain imaging and comprehensive medical and neurodevelopmental follow-up to identify any developmental problems as early as possible.  Improving the consistency and quality of care will have a real impact on the lives of these infants and their families.

Finally the project wants to ensure that these infants and their families receive the support they need at the time of diagnosis, treatment and beyond, through information available and family-centred support networks.

Further information:

If you would like to know more about the project please contact the East of England Neonatal Neuroprotection administrator:  Polly Maile; 01223 349392 Polly.maile@nhs.net

The Health Foundation is an independent charitable organisation whose role is in bridging the gaps between policy, practice and research.  More information about the Helth Foundation and the Closing the Gap Award that we have received can be found at www.health.org.uk

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