NHS and Neonatal Units Receive Crucial Training Equipment from New Life Charity
London, Tuesday 9 January, 2024 – The NHS is currently facing immense pressure, and neonatal units across the UK are as busy as ever. In light of this, continuous specialist training for neonatal staff is crucial in ensuring positive outcomes for newborns.
New Life Special Care Babies has recently received a funding request from St Michael’s Hospital in Bristol. This request sought support for a cutting-edge training manikin known as the Premmie Anne. Developed in collaboration with the American Academy of Pediatrics, this newborn simulator is specifically designed to enhance neonatal resuscitation techniques.
St Michael’s Hospital specifically requested a dark-skinned manikin, representative of a large proportion of their staff and patient population. Elizabeth Osmond, Assistant Clinical Lead of the NICU, explained, “This manikin will be used for life support training as part of simulation training in the delivery suites and wards. It will be utilized by midwives in training, doctors, and neonatal nurses. We will also incorporate it into our life support courses, including the NLS and ARNI Resuscitation Council UK courses. Our previous manikins have had lighter skin tones and were not fully representative of our patients.”
New Life, founded by Mr. Trevor Goodall, was delighted to be able to fund the manikin, named “Samuel” by the Trust after one of Mr. Goodall’s twins born at 24 weeks in 1995. Sadly, both twins passed away a week later. The charity recently funded a similar piece of equipment for the Royal Cornwall Hospital, named “Joshua.”
The manikin will enable staff to hone their clinical skills and techniques, such as airway management, in the critical first 10 minutes after a premature baby is born. It will be used in a safe and realistic team-centered environment, where effective communication and teamwork can greatly improve outcomes.
New Life supplies specialist equipment and items quickly to neonatal units across the UK, thanks to its unique approach. Consultants and other neonatal specialists submit requests to the charity, often for equipment that would otherwise take months to source through the NHS. Some equipment that the charity has supplied is not available through NHS funding.
Established 26 years ago by Mr. Goodall, following the premature birth and loss of his twin boys, New Life has evolved from a one-time charity golf day into a continuous series of fundraising events. In 2021, the charity achieved the significant milestone of £1 million, benefiting numerous families and hospitals across the UK.
To contact the charity, please email trevor@newlifebabies.org.uk.
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