ABSTRACT
The care of neonates in the UK is organized around guidelines produced by the British Association of
Midwives in the UK are responsible for overseeing the care of the healthy term baby and his mother principally in the first 10 days of life, but this can extend to the full neonatal period in hospital and in the community. However, some midwives have specialized in neonatal care as part of their role and, along with nurses, have developed the specialty of neonatal nursing. Working mainly in hospital-based neonatal units with other health care professionals, neonatal nurses provide highly specialized care for preterm and sick
Perinatal Medicine (BAPM) (2001). Healthy term babies require normal care, usually given by their mother in the postnatal ward and at home. About 10 per cent of all babies born in the UK require admission to a neonatal unit, with a wide range between hospitals of 4 to 35 per cent. Most of these admissions are for special care, while about 2 per cent of babies need full intensive care. Examples of what is defined as special care, high-dependency care and intensive care (BAPM 2001) are given (see box).
