First reported 25 Apr 2022•Latest report 30 Aug 2024
Definition
What this concern includes
Includes failures of the regional neonatology support arrangement, including absent routes for cross-regional specialist advice and unreliable or delayed on-call consultant availability across covered hospitals.
Not included
Excludes generic regional coordination or mutual-aid deficiencies not explicitly tied to neonatology specialist support.
Excludes failures involving other clinical specialties, ambulance transfers, radiology sharing or general referral capacity.
Excludes isolated staffing, training, communication or equipment deficiencies unless they directly impair access to the regional neonatology support arrangement.
Reports
2
Distinct published reports
Individual concerns
2
A report can raise multiple concerns
Date range
2022–2024
First to latest report issue date
Stated actions
4
Described in published responses
Reports over time
Reports over time
Reports about this concern issued each year.
* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.
Most frequent recipients
Most frequent recipients
Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.
British Association of Perinatal Medicine1
NHS England1
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust1
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust1
NHS trust2
Executive non-departmental public body1
Health professional body1
Concerns and responses across reports
Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.
West Sussex, Brighton and Hove
Concerns raised1
Variability in on-call Neonatology Consultant attendance times
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.4
Action
Explore options for establishing a separate Neonatal Consultant on-call rota for the Princess Royal Hospital Special Care Baby Unit.
Stated by University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 2 September 2024.
Action
Approach the Integrated Care Board about externally reviewing current arrangements and options to strengthen Neonatal Consultant on-call provision for the Princess Royal Hospital service.
Stated by University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation TrustStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 2 September 2024.
Action
Recommend against simultaneous out-of-hours cover of geographically separate neonatal sites and concurrent Tier 2 and Tier 3 cover by one consultant.
Stated by British Association of Perinatal MedicineStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 2 September 2024.
Action
Publish recommendations requiring immediate consultant availability, attendance within 30 minutes, and robustly job-planned and risk-assessed local coverage arrangements.
Stated by British Association of Perinatal MedicineStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 2 September 2024.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.7
Position
Outcome reviews found no evidence that the current Neonatal Consultant on-call arrangements at Princess Royal Hospital are unsafe or contribute to neonatal deaths.
Stated by University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation TrustDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Position
The Trust cannot currently provide a separate Princess Royal Hospital rota because Consultant, workforce and financial resources are unavailable.
Stated by University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation TrustUnable to actThe respondent said that a constraint prevented them from taking the relevant action.
Position
The Trust is asking the Integrated Care Board to externally review current arrangements and options for strengthening Neonatal Consultant on-call provision.
Stated by University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation TrustRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Position
NHS Trusts determine their own out-of-hours neonatal consultant response-time policies under consultants’ terms and conditions.
Stated by NHS EnglandRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Position
BAPM guidance contains no recommendation specifying the time consultants must be on site.
Stated by British Association of Perinatal MedicineDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Position
BAPM is advisory rather than executive and therefore cannot direct trusts' local implementation processes.
Stated by British Association of Perinatal MedicineOutside remitThe respondent said that this matter was outside its role or authority.
Position
Individual trusts are responsible for implementing local processes in line with national guidelines.
Stated by British Association of Perinatal MedicineRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
South Yorkshire (Western)
Concerns raised1
Lack of access to support from regional neonatology colleagues
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Includes failures of the regional neonatology support arrangement, including absent routes for cross-regional specialist advice and unreliable or delayed on-call consultant availability across covered hospitals.
