The toolkit aims to facilitate and support the implementation of the standards on a national, regional, and local level based on the European Standards of Care for Newborn Health. It can be used by many different stakeholders like parent organisations, healthcare professionals, healthcare societies, payers, non-governmental organisations, policymakers, politicians, the media, and other interested parties. It is very important to keep in mind to work together with all stakeholders involved in the care of preterm and ill babies (e.g. neonatologists, paediatricians, nurses, midwives, parent representatives, hospitals, and insurances). Only if all of these stakeholders work together, advocacy work can be efficient. This aspect also reflects the general idea of the European Standards of Care for Newborn Health project – to involve a multidisciplinary team of experts and parent representatives.
How can this toolkit help you?
Consulting this toolkit, it will provide you and other stakeholders with practical information and tools to assess and improve the health of preterm and ill babies in their respective countries. It is not intended to be prescriptive and recognises that each country is at different stages on the path towards improving newborn health. What already runs optimally in one country might be improvable in another and vice versa. Thus, the toolkit also shows how countries can learn from each other through an exchange of experience.
It will also assist you in professionalising and increasing your outreach and give advice in articulating your demand to change clinical practice and policy in your country.
Please note that the activities and ideas which are presented in this document are to stimulate internal discussion and thoughts. All appropriate local legal, regulatory, medical and ethical practices and approvals must be obtained and complied with.