The Dan Young Neonatal Surgical Unit audit: an audit of admissions and mortality rates pre- and post-amalgamation

(1) To record the number of Index Surgical Cases (ISCs) admitted to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children (RHSC) Yorkill in 2012-2014. (2) To investigate if the amalgamation of the neonatal intensive care unit with the Dan Young Neonatal Surgical Unit in 2008 has impacted on the number of admissions and deaths.

Data were collected from the ward admission books and the BadgerNet UK database. Reason for admission and outcome was recorded. Nonsurgical cases were categorised as 'miscellaneous'.The total number of admissions per year and the number of miscellaneous cases have been increasing since the amalgamation. There were no clinically significant differences in the number of babies with each ISC. The death rate was 1.8% in 2012, 2.9% in 2013 and 2.6% 2014.

The unit now admits more miscellaneous babies and this has caused an increase in total admissions. Although the total number of deaths has increased, the death rates as a percentage of total admissions have now plateaued after an initial rise at the time of union. There has been no significant increase in the number of ISC deaths. Thus, it appears that the amalgamation has affected survival outcomes in the short term only.