Understanding the transition from neonatal to paediatric care
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Understanding the transition from neonatal to paediatric care: a data linkage study
IRAS ID
283808
Contact name
Sarah E Seaton
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Leicester
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 4 months, 31 days
Research summary
Following birth, around one in seven babies are admitted for specialist neonatal care in the UK. Admission rates to neonatal care have increased in the last few years, partly due to improved survival of the most vulnerable babies, particularly those born very prematurely or those with serious health problems.
Survival of these babies has become increasingly normalised by clinicians and families, but the impact of their health and the care received immediately after birth can be lifelong. There has also been an increase in admissions to paediatric intensive care units (PICU) in the last ten to fifteen years. Many admissions relate to children who received neonatal care immediately after birth, although the exact number is not known.
Very little is known about the transition between neonatal and paediatric care including which children are likely to experience both types of care, and how clinical services, parents and professionals manage the transition. Information is collected about care received in neonatal units, paediatric intensive care units and hospitals, but to date no one has linked the data together. This research will do this for the first time to investigate the outcomes of all babies admitted for neonatal care over the first two years of their life.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/EE/0220
Date of REC Opinion
28 Sep 2020
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion