Airlift baby's condition worsens

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Baby Ben Marshall, who had to be airlifted to hospital in Liverpool due to a lack of beds in NI or the Republic has become critically ill.

Ben was born nine weeks premature and spent a month in hospital before being allowed home, but he then developed a chest infection.

He was critically ill when he was airlifted to Alder Hey Hospital last Friday, but seemed to improve.

Last night, his condition deteriorated. His parents are at his side.

His mother and father were unable to accompany Ben in the aircraft to Liverpool on Friday.

They flew out on Saturday to be with their son in hospital.

Before travelling, Ben's mother, Michelle, 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."

His mother, Michelle, is by his side

Speaking after their baby was transferred to Liverpool, Ben's parents said intensive care provision in Northern Ireland was not good enough.

Jennifer Kearney, a friend of the Marshalls and a co-founder of the organisation, Life After Loss, which supports parents whose babies have died, said hospitals in Northern Ireland needed more resources to treat premature babies.

"The government guidelines say that from 22 weeks a baby should be resuscitated if parents wish that to happen and from 23 weeks a baby should be assessed," she said.

"That doesn't happen in Northern Ireland because there is no capacity. The service here works at a minimum of 100% all the time."

In a statement at the weekend, the Department of Health said in the last five years, only four newborn babies were transferred outside of Northern Ireland because there was no specialist cot available.

An additional neo-natal intensive care cot was opened in Craigavon in 2006.

An extra £800,000 has also been allocated for neo-natal paediatric intensive care services in 2007 - 2008.