19th September 2019
Jimmy Hamill
[xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx]
Our ref.: FOI/19/279
Dear Mr Hamill
RE: Freedom of Information (FOI) request – Neonatal units
We refer to your Freedom of Information request which was received by the Western
Health and Social Care Trust on 27th August 2019. On 4th September you further
confirmed for us that the time period for question 5 (transfers) was the same as that
in question 4. Regarding question 8 (reviews) you also confirmed that this relates to
“any review of any type ongoing at present that refers to neonatal services - this can
be Transformation Programme based, regionally based or within this Trust only. It
can relate to a review of staffing, services or any other aspect of neonatal services.”
Please see below a Trust response to your queries.
[1] Can you confirm which hospitals within WHSCT have had neonatal Units
over the last 5 years?
Throughout the past 5 years, the Western Trust has 2 neonatal units – one in
Altnagelvin Hospital and one in South West Acute Hospital (previously Erne
Hospital).
[2] Can you provide the neonatal cot complement – broken down by Level1,
Level2 and Level3 – at these Units at present?
Level
Altnagelvin
South West
Hospital
Acute
Hospital
1 Intensive Care
3
0
2 High Dependency 6
0
3 Special Care
9
6
Total
18
6
Freedom of Information (FOI) Office, Western HSC Trust,
Lime Villa, Gransha Park, Clooney Road, Londonderry, BT47 6WJ
e-mail: xxx.xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxx.xxx
[3] Can you confirm if the neonatal cot complement has changed at all in these
neonatal Units since 1st April 2016?
The neonatal cot complement has not changed since 1 April 2016.
[4] Can you confirm the number of admissions to the neonatal Units for the
following time periods:
- for year 1st April 2016 to 31st March 2017 = 448
- for year 1st April 2017 to 31st March 2018 = 426
- for year 1st April 2018 to 31st March 2019 = 387
- for year 1st April 2019 to present day (16 September 2019) = 159
[5] Can you confirm the number of transfers from these neonatal units to other
neonatal units (including transfers between WHSCT units and also to units
outside of WHSCT)?
- for year 1st April 2016 to 31st March 2017 = 43
- for year 1st April 2017 to 31st March 2018 = 41
- for year 1st April 2018 to 31st March 2019 = 33
- for year 1st April 2019 to present day (16 September 2019) = 15
[6] Can you confirm if there are circumstances other than clinical need under
which transfers between neonatal units are carried out?
In addition to transfers for clinical reasons, babies are also transferred between
neonatal units when possible to allow them to be cared for closer to home.
[7] Can you provide a snapshot of cot usage in these neonatal Units as of
now?
At 16 September occupancy was as follows:
Level
Altnagelvin
South West
Hospital
Acute
Hospital
1 Intensive Care
3
0
2 High Dependency 1
0
3 Special Care
6
4
Total
10
4
Freedom of Information (FOI) Office, Western HSC Trust,
Lime Villa, Gransha Park, Clooney Road, Londonderry, BT47 6WJ
e-mail: xxx.xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxx.xxx
[8] Can you confirm if there is any review ongoing at present with regard to
neonatal units (this can be Transformation Programme based, regionally
based or within this Trust only)?
Currently, there are no internal reviews taking place within the Western Trust relating
to neonatal services. There are no neonatal-specific regional reviews taking place,
however the PHA (Public Health Agency) is undertaking a “Delivering Care” review
of nurse staffing levels in all programmes of care; neonatal services has not yet been
completed.
We hope you find this response helpful. Please contact us at the below address if
you have any further queries.
Yours sincerely
(Not signed – issued by email)
Freedom of Information Office
Western Health and Social Care Trust
Freedom of Information: If you are unhappy as to how this request has been handled, you have the
right to seek a review within the Trust in the first instance. You should write to the FOI Office, Lime
Villa, Gransha Park, Clooney Road, Londonderry, BT47 6WJ (xxx.xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxx.xxx)
within two months of the date of this response and your complaint will be considered and a response
provided, usually within 20 working days of receipt.
If, after receiving a response, you remain unhappy, you can refer your complaint to the Information
Commissioner at The Information Commissioner’s office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow,
Cheshire SK9 5AF. It is important to note that if you refer any matter to the Information
Commissioner, you will need to show evidence of having gone through the Trust’s internal review
procedure to try to resolve the matter with the Trust in the first instance.
Freedom of Information (FOI) Office, Western HSC Trust,
Lime Villa, Gransha Park, Clooney Road, Londonderry, BT47 6WJ
e-mail: xxx.xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxx.xxx