Basic neonatal training is currently offered in all hospitals in the east of England. Neonatal care is delivered in networks. The smallest and sickest babies are looked after in specialist Level 3 units whilst babies requiring special care are looked after in Level 1 units. The east of England was originally divided into three networks, Essex, Bedfordshire/ Hertfordshire and Norfolk/Suffolk/Cambridgeshire. The networks are currently under review. The Essex neonatal network will be disbanded with hospitals in the northern part transferring to Norfolk/Suffolk and Cambridgeshire network and hospitals in the southern area linking to London.
The delivery of neonatal intensive care varies widely in hospital across the east of England. The smaller hospitals have Level 1 units which look after special care infants and transfer out sick ventilated neonates once they have been stabilised. A number of larger District General Hospitals provide all levels of neonatal care. Specialist neonatal care is delivered in level 3 units. Training in Neonatal Intensive Care can take place in all hospitals. However, the specialist training will take place in bigger DGHs and the Level 3 units. It is envisaged that all trainees will spend time in the Level 3 units initially for six months at the ST1 to 3 level and for six months at ST4 to 5 level. This is the minimum training requirement for general paediatricians. For those doctors wishing to undertake further training in neonatology, there will be further placements in the Level 3 units and bigger District General Hospitals. Neonatal training in the east of England is delivered to a very high standard. There are two National Grid training posts available in Cambridge aimed at trainees who wish to become neonatal specialists working in tertiary or academic neonatal units. We have recently developed a number of two year training rotations which are competitive regionally. These posts are aimed at producing paediatricians with a special interest in neonatology who may in the long term work in busy district general hospitals and lead neonatal services there. The posts currently involve 12 month placements in the Level 3 units. The final year of these rotations will be in large District General Hospitals. In addition intensive care training rotations between the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit with the final year in a District General Hospital have been developed..
In the Level 3 units trainees will :
- gain experience in the management of infants with medical and surgical problems.
- gain experience in different modalities of ventilation including high frequency ventilation and nitric oxide use.
- gain experience in cooling following brain injury.
- be trained to perform basic echocardiography and cranial ultrasound imaging.
- have opportunities to undertake research projects and high quality audit conducted between the Level 3 units and across the networks.
Neonatal training in the East of England is supported by an excellent educational programme.
For information regarding Neonatal Intensive Care training you should contact:
| Cambridge | Dr Edile Murdoch |
| Norwich | Dr Vippan Datta |
| Luton | Dr Iviano Ossuetta |