Just three cots free in Black Country hospitals for ill babies
Only three cots were available for very sick new-born children on one day at hospitals run by Black Country health trusts, new NHS figures have revealed.
In total, there are 44 beds for neonatal care at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton, Walsall's Manor Hospital, Sandwell Hospital, City Hospital in Birmingham and Dudley's Russells Hall Hospital.
But just three were free on July 28. New Cross and Manor Hospital were full.
Two beds were available at Russells Hall and one at Sandwell Hospital and City Hospital, both run by Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals Trust.
Half the neonatal care beds, six, were occupied at University Hospitals Of North Midlands NHS Trust's hospitals, County Hospital in Stafford and Royal Stoke University Hospital.
Paula Clarke, chief executive of The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Russells Hall Hospital, said: "The number of critical care cots available on the neonatal unit varies from day to day.
"The Dudley Group is part of the Staffordshire, Shropshire and Black Country Newborn and Maternity Network and so when demand for cots is high, babies who require an admission are first stabilised then transferred to another hospital within the network.
"This is a reciprocal arrangement among all trusts within the network."
She added: "On 28th July we had 16 neonatal inpatients with two cots free to enable us to provide safe emergency care to further admissions had they been required."
Manor Hospital has two neonatal beds, New Cross 14, Russells Hall 18 and City Hospital and Sandwell Hospital 10 between them.
Staffordshire, Shropshire and Black Country Newborn and Maternity Network has a neonatal intensive care unit in Wolverhampton.
Tim Jordan's son Harrison was born weighing only one-and-a-half pounds.
He was treated at both Russells Hall and New Cross before coming home after four months in 2014. Today, he is a happy toddler aged two and a half.
Mr Jordan, aged 47, of Kingswinford, said: "It is not a surprise about the number of free beds because not every baby needs so much care.
"Harrison was in care for four months, but others just need four days. So babies are coming in and out of the wards."
