Kettering Hospital stops treating youngest babies

Kettering General Hospital will no longer provide care for babies born at less than 32 weeks

A neo-natal unit rated as "inadequate" by inspectors will no longer care for the most premature babies.

Until now, Kettering General Hospital (KGH) has been treating babies born at 27 weeks or later.

It will now only accept those whose birth took place at least 32 weeks into pregnancy.

The hospital said this was a "precautionary step" so extra recruitment and training could take place.

Following investigations by the BBC, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspected children's services at the hospital in December, including the neo-natal unit and the Skylark paediatric ward.

Concern about staffing levels and training

Both were found to be inadequate and the inspectors had particular concerns about staffing levels, the design of the neo-natal unit and the level of training staff had received.

There was a specific reference in the report to a "medical incident" involving the administration of adrenalin.

Managers have decided that KGH will no longer be designated as a "Local Neonatal Unit", providing care to babies born over 27 weeks, and will become a "Special Baby Unit", taking babies born at 32 weeks or later.

Extra recruitment and training will take place at Kettering General Hospital

KGH says the decision has been taken following on-going assessment and clinical quality and safety reviews, as well as feedback from staff which identified that more consultants were needed.

It also became clear staff would have to get extra training in the care of babies who were more premature.

Some babies will go to other hospitals

The hospital said it delivered more than 3,000 babies a year and the change in designation would only affect a small number of babies.

Jayne Skippen, chief nursing officer at KGH, said: "Families should still attend the hospital and we will make sure mothers and babies receive the right care and support in the right setting, which could involve being directed or transferred to another hospital if their baby is born under 32 weeks and needs specialist neonatal care."

Earlier this year, the BBC spoke to a number of parents who were concerned about the treatment their children had received at the Skylark ward at KGH.

Parents complained staff ignored symptoms of serious illnesses and sometimes withheld pain relief or oxygen.

The hospital has apologised to families who felt let down.

The CQC said earlier this year that some improvements had been made in children's services at the hospital.