Is access to a standardized neonatal intensive care possible?
OBJECTIVE
This paper aims to determine the factors which impact on the issue of availability and access to a standard quality of neonatal intensive care provision in order to clarify strategies for change.


BACKGROUND
New targets set within the NHS reforms have highlighted quality and fair access to services. Current frameworks for the provision of neonatal services may not be in place to support a standardized quality service provision.


METHODS
The paper examines the historical and political basis for current models of service, giving a grounding for recommendations for change in an attempt to achieve a more standardized, equitable level of care.


RESULTS
Changes within health care policy in the late 1980s and 1990s have led to confusion within the service and a lack of the definition needed to provide universally accepted criteria on which to base a regional service provision.


CONCLUSIONS
The organization of services will need to be reviewed to include the introduction of national and regional data collection and analysis, and national definitions standardizing service criteria to be used to support variations in regional models of care. In conjunction with these recommendations independent auditing processes must exist to allow for accreditation of services.
Turrill
S
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Rosie Hospital, Addenbrooke's NHS Trust, Cambridge, UK.
D019985:Benchmarking; D018166:Health Care Reform; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D011057:Politics; D013222:State Medicine; D006113:United Kingdom