Scunthorpe General rolls out baby health solution

SCUNTHORPE General Hospital is introducing a pilot IT system logging the results of babies' health checks and providing faster access for GPs and health visitors. The NHS Newborn and Infant Physical Examination Programme uses the Screening Management and Reporting Tool IT system and has already been trialled at hospitals in London and Newcastle. It will run at Scunthorpe until December, when it will be reviewed. Carol Lilley, midwifery co-ordinator at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "At the moment we input the findings by hand, but the new system will all be computerised and the information will go straight to the health visitor. Under the old system, the baby could be two to three weeks old before the health visitor could see the information. It could help alleviate some stress for the mothers."