A NEW service to find the nearest vacant hospital cots for critically ill and premature babies has been launched. The Government-funded National Cot Locator will allow hospital staff to see at a glance where available cots are located at 40 neonatal inten

A NEW service to find the nearest vacant hospital cots for critically ill and premature babies has been launched.

The Government-funded National Cot Locator will allow hospital staff to see at a glance where available cots are located at 40 neonatal intensive care units throughout England.

Previously, clinical staff had to ring round other hospitals to find a cot, which wastes valuable treatment time.

A spokesman for the East and North Herts NHS Trust said: "With the Trust shortly expected to complete the expansion of the neonatal intensive care unit at Lister, which will provide a vital service to the whole of east and north Hertfordshire, it is in an excellent position to make the best use of the new national cot locator service, should the need arise."

Andy Cole, chief executive of Bliss, the premature baby charity, said: "We hope to see the cot locator have a significant impact across England on the crucial issues of available cots and transfers for babies in need of intensive care.