Maternity unit unveils £2m expansion of neonatal unit

Doctors at Bradford Royal Infirmary say the changes will deliver improvements for babies requiring expert care and their families, and lead to fewer transfers to other regional centres for expert care.

The number of intensive care cots for the sickest babies will increase by two from five, with provision for a further two once the work is complete.

Neonatologist Chris Day said: “In the past, demand for our specialist services has sometimes exceeded our capacity and this has led to babies, who should have been able to have all their highly specialist care here, being transferred to other regional centres.

“This new development will enable us to use our existing highly specialist equipment and staff to their full potential maintaining Bradford’s place as a centre of excellence for neonatal intensive care.”

The unit, which deals with transfers of sick babies from other hospitals as well as treating babies delivered in the city, currently has 27 cots including five for intensive care, five for babies requiring high dependency care and 17 special care cots.

The first phase of the expansion will begin in January to include a ground-floor extension to the 
unit which will take a year to complete.