Summary
A national review of neonatal intensive care services was commissioned by the Ministry of Health in response to concerns about increasing occupancy and pressure on neonatal intensive care services locally and nationally.
The objectives of the review were:
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To describe how well current NICUs in New Zealand are functioning in today’s health environment; to include but not limited to:
- Capacity tensions
- Capability concerns.
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to profile the current pressures in NICUs for each of Levels 2, 2A and 3.
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if apparent, to describe emerging drivers to changing patterns of occupancy and care and if so, how these changes relate to each of the 3 NICU levels of care.
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based on a literature review describe the ‘optimal model of care’ for neonatal service delivery and test this with the review committee.
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Make recommendations for:
- Any short-term changes to any perceived need
- Long-term changes for service provision
The Ministry of Health is currently working with district health boards and the Newborn Clinical Network to discuss the findings and recommendations of the review and plan next steps.