The new £4 million Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Noble's Hospital has opened its doors today. It is the first major extension to Noble's Hospital since it opened in 2003.
The facility is located on the first floor of the east wing of the hospital, next to the Jane Crookall Maternity Ward. Enabling works commenced in June 2013 and Tynwald voted to approve funds for the construction in October 2013 with building work underway that same month. The facility was topped out by Minister Quayle in June 2014 with completion and handover to the Department in March this year. The facility was delivered to budget and on time.
Member for Health and Social Care, Alfred Cannan MHK, said: "This is a substantial investment in a vital service and demonstrates Government's commitment to continuing to develop health and social care facilities to protect the vulnerable. We have in the new neonatal unit an exceptional facility which will serve the Island well. It enables us to conform to neonatal care standards set by the British Association of Perinatal Medicine and the EU, meaning the parents of critically-ill new born babies can be assured that care will remain of the highest standard.
"I would like to extend my thanks and congratulations to everyone involved in this project, which has spanned several years."
The new unit has the same capacity of nine cots, as there has been in the Special Care Baby Unit, whilst providing more space for each one – a key requirement of current standards and best practice. There is improved overnight accommodation for parents, an important consideration at what can be an extremely distressing time. The new unit allows for improvements in the treatment of terminally-ill babies and benefits from an enhanced floor plan layout to provide more privacy, as well as assisting in isolating babies, carrying out resuscitation, and in providing more storage space for vital equipment.
Consultant Paediatrician and Neonatologist at Noble's Hospital, Dr Prakash Thiagarajan, said: "The new neonatal facilities are first class. Meeting constantly evolving standards and advances in medicine is a challenge and the team is very grateful for this significant investment. We can now boast the best possible neonatal facilities for a level two unit and continue our focus on providing excellent care for critically-ill babies and the necessary support for their parents and families."
The facility is located on the first floor of the east wing of the hospital, next to the Jane Crookall Maternity Ward. Enabling works commenced in June 2013 and Tynwald voted to approve funds for the construction in October 2013 with building work underway that same month. The facility was topped out by Minister Quayle in June 2014 with completion and handover to the Department in March this year. The facility was delivered to budget and on time.
Member for Health and Social Care, Alfred Cannan MHK, said:
'This is a substantial investment in a vital service and demonstrates Government's commitment to continuing to develop health and social care facilities to protect the vulnerable. We have in the new neonatal unit an exceptional facility which will serve the Island well. It enables us to conform to neonatal care standards set by the British Association of Perinatal Medicine and the EU, meaning the parents of critically-ill new born babies can be assured that care will remain of the highest standard.
'I would like to extend my thanks and congratulations to everyone involved in this project, which has spanned several years.'
The new unit has the same capacity of nine cots, as there has been in the Special Care Baby Unit, whilst providing more space for each one – a key requirement of current standards and best practice. There is improved overnight accommodation for parents, an important consideration at what can be an extremely distressing time. The new unit allows for improvements in the treatment of terminally-ill babies and benefits from an enhanced floor plan layout to provide more privacy, as well as assisting in isolating babies, carrying out resuscitation, and in providing more storage space for vital equipment.
Consultant Paediatrician and Neonatologist at Noble's Hospital, Dr Prakash Thiagarajan, said:
'The new neonatal facilities are first class. Meeting constantly evolving standards and advances in medicine is a challenge and the team is very grateful for this significant investment. We can now boast the best possible neonatal facilities for a level two unit and continue our focus on providing excellent care for critically-ill babies and the necessary support for their parents and families.'
