I was delighted to watch ITV Meridian’s coverage of Medway Maritime Hospital’s Neonatal and Fetal Medicine Unit. Incredibly, our local hospital delivers around 400 babies, and while many will go home with their families that very day there are some who require special care.
I am proud that the Neonatal and Fetal Units here in Medway are recognised as some of the best outside of London and is rated outstanding by the Care Quality Commission having previously been inadequate. This is one of several areas where ratings have improved significantly across the Hospital in recent months as we move further towards our goal of bringing it out of special measures.
One of our greatest local charitable supporters of these Units is Making Miracles. This fantastic organisation helps fundraise for the expensive and specialist equipment needed to identify symptoms and deliver treatment early. It is sometimes easy to forget that the NHS does not have a statutory duty to provide such equipment to these units. Making Miracles also supports a lot of its own research and does a great deal for parents who suffer with the shock of bad news and complex diagnoses.
That is why I was delighted to attend Making Miracles’ Baby Memorial Garden service at Rochester Cathedral earlier this month where the garden also received its formal opening. I look forward to continuing to offer my support to both the Hospital’s neonatal and Fetal Medicine Units as well as Making Miracles as we make the final few pushes towards the local health service we all need.