Key Summary
- NICE updated the neonatal infection guidance.
- Babies can get oral antibodies at home.
- This can potentially reduce the hospital stay of mother and baby by up to 2.7 days.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has updated the neonatal infection guidance that allows babies receiving antibiotics in hospital to switch to oral antibiotics and be cared for at home if they are doing well and responding to treatment.
The approach that has been successfully piloted in three projects across 9 NHS sites across England proving it is as effective as hospital treatment for the infants.
This can potentially reduce the hospital stay of mother and baby by up to 2.7 days. Neonatal care units are some of the busiest specialist wards in the country.
All newborns are assessed for specific birth related risk factors, including premature birth before 37 weeks and if the mother tests positive for group b strep or is thought to have sepsis during labour.
It gives the babies full clinical support at home in order to complete their treatment.
Newborns face health risks due to factors like premature birth before 37 weeks, mother developing complications like sepsis during labour. Some of these babies will need to stay in hospital.
But as per the new NICE guidance babies born after 35 weeks who are on intravenous antibiotics can be switched to a simple liquid oral antibiotic and taken home to complete the course if they test negative for infection, are stable, feeding well, and responding well to treatment.
Shorter stays free up neonatal unit beds for babies who need the most intensive care.
“These updated recommendations will improve how some mothers experience the first few days with their new baby,” commented interim director at NICE centre for guidelines, Eric Power.
“As part of our updated guideline, we specify parents are trained by the neonatal team in how to give their baby antibiotics orally, recommending this must be done under clinical supervision in hospital before they can go home,” said Lucy Common, NICE’s clinical advisor for nursing.
