Airlift baby remains in stable condition

A critically ill baby who had to be airlifted to a hospital in Liverpool due to the lack of intensive care beds in Northern Ireland, is said to be in a stable condition, it has today been reported.

Ben Marshall, who is just six-weeks old, was moved from the Ulster Hospital to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool on Friday evening.

Ben was born nine weeks premature and spent a month in hospital before being allowed home, but he then developed a chest infection, however when his parents took him to hospital, there were no places in the intensive care unit to facilitate him.

There are currently 104 neo-natal cots in Northern Ireland, with 20 in intensive care wards.

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

(EF)