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Ill baby is airlifted to England Ill baby's parents fly to bedside
(1 day later)
A seriously ill baby has been airlifted to hospital in Liverpool as there are no spare intensive care beds for babies and young children in Northern Ireland.A seriously ill baby has been airlifted to hospital in Liverpool as there are no spare intensive care beds for babies and young children in Northern Ireland.
Ben Marshall was born five weeks premature and spent a month in hospital before being allowed home. His parents have said intensive care services for children in Northern Ireland were not good enough.
However, after developing a chest infection, the six-week-old child is now in a serious condition. Ben Marshall was born nine weeks premature and spent a month in hospital before being allowed home.
His mother Michelle said they have to wait until Saturday before they can fly to Liverpool to be with their son. However, after developing a chest infection, the child is now in a serious condition.
"The hospital are doing everything to try and get us flights for tomorrow morning and the hospital has been fantastic," Mrs Marshall said. His mother Michelle and her husband flew out on Saturday to be with their son in hospital.
"But as you can imagine it's very hard - you know if something was to happen to him tonight he's going to be by himself. Before travelling, she said: "We had a wee baby that died last year and you're just so worried that he would die on his own. I just wish we could be with him."
"We had a wee baby that died last year and you're just so worried that he would die on his own. I just wish we could be with him." The Marshalls took their son to the Ulster Hospital, but were told there was no place for him.
In a statement the Department of Health said: "While each case of a small baby requiring to be transferred is very traumatic, the actual numbers involved are relatively small.
"In the last five years only four newborn babies were transferred outside of Northern Ireland because there was no specialist cot available."