Neonatal Care Units across the island will strengthen their quality of care following today’s launch by the Ministry of Health and Wellness, of a revised Neonatal Manual — the first comprehensive update to the guidebook in twenty years.

The Policies, Procedures and Protocols Manual for Neonatal Care Units sets baseline standards for care across public health hospitals so that each neonate admitted to the island’s facilities receives consistent, evidence-based treatment.

“The aim is to provide clear, practical guidance for the medical, nursing, and allied health professionals assigned to neonatal units across public health hospitals,” said Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the Hon. Krystal Lee, MP.

The State Minister delivered the keynote address on Monday (February 16), during a handover ceremony at the Spanish Town Hospital. She presented the manuals to neonatal teams that serve public health facilities within the South East Regional Health Authority. All public health hospitals will receive copies.

Emphasising that patient safety remains the Ministry’s priority, Minister Lee outlined the purpose and significance of the revisions to the Neonatal Manual.

“This manual will strengthen quality of care by standardising clinical practice across neonatal units; supporting clinical audits to measure performance and drive improvement; and by guiding training and mentorship so that staff at every level can deliver care with confidence and competence,” the State Minister added.

Standards and Daily Practice

The principles embedded in the Neonatal Manual include guidelines that speak to prompt admission of neonates for appropriate treatment so that time-sensitive conditions are managed without delay. It also stresses accurate documentation of patient findings to ensure continuity of care and to inform clinical decisions.

The continuous upskilling of medical and nursing staff remains an important feature of the manual’s standards so that knowledge is current and practice is safe. The revised manual also underlines regular collection, auditing, and analysis of data to identify gaps and guide policy.

The ceremony also featured the launch of the Neonatal Parent Handbook, a guide for use by families when their sick newborns are admitted to neonatal nurseries for care.