Who We Are
The INHA is Ireland’s first collaborative platform and network to represent the interests of preterm infants, ill infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) and their families. It comprises of families affected by a preterm birth, multi-disciplinary healthcare experts, educators, researchers, political decision makers and industry partners who share the common goal of reducing the incidence of preterm birth in Ireland, supporting families with infants in the NICU and improving the long-term health of preterm infants by ensuring the optimum prevention, treatment, care and support.
Our vision is to support and empower families affected by prematurity by advocating increased awareness, improved pre-conceptual, ante-natal and post natal education, equitable and standardized neonatal care and improved long-term care for both the premature baby and the family.
Our objective, through consultation with global networks of prematurity groups, healthcare professionals, educators, researchers, political decision makers and industry stakeholders is to foster the exchange of information, provide education to healthcare professionals and families and with one collective voice, to provide the platform for a coordinated and integrated program of collaborative support in the field of neonatal care in Ireland.
PRE-CONCEPTUAL CARE
We believe that all women have the right to receive comprehensive information pre-conceptually about the risk factors that may influence their own and their infant’s health in addition to availing of the best quality, targeted and effective ante-natal care.
TREATMENT AND CARE
Healthy children are our future. On the 9th Council of Europe, the Health Ministers declared that the rights of every child for equitable access to appropriate, child oriented and good quality care must be respected. Specifically, preterm and newborn infants must be guaranteed excellent, developmentally supportive treatment and care. The INHA’s involvement with the European Standards of Care for Newborn Health Project, under the guidance of the European Foundation for the Care of Newborn Infants (EFCNI) will guarantee the development of best practice standards and we commit to continuously improve treatment and care for all children and their families.
FOLLOW UP AND CONTINUING CARE
We strive to improve the long-term health of preterm infants and their families. This also includes the provision of medical, psychological, sociological and financial support for the children and their families. Our goal is to advocate for European-wide standards to determine the care this patient group receives.