• Royal Bolton Hospital is the highest recruit in the North West for study aiming to help babies breathe
• SurfON is looking at how to best treat babies born 2-6 weeks early with breathing problems
• 50 babies have been recruited in Bolton since joining study in 2022

Royal Bolton Hospital has become the highest recruiting site in the North West for an important study that’s looking at how to help babies breathe if they are born a few weeks early.

At the start of December, the hospital’s Neonatal Unit reached a major milestone after recruiting their 50th baby to the SurfON study.

SurfON is aiming to find out how to best treat babies who are born two to six weeks early and admitted to the Neonatal Unit with breathing problems.

Consultant Neonatologist, Dr. Archana Mishra, who is leading on the study in Bolton, said:

Every baby we recruit to this study will help us to find out how we can provide the best care and treatment if they are born early and are struggling with their breathing.

“We first started the study in July 2022 and it’s a testament to all our staff who are involved who have kept the momentum going to reach fifty recruits and become the highest recruiting site in the North West for the study.

“I am so proud of our team here at Bolton for reaching this important milestone and I am incredibly grateful to all of our families who given their time to support our research and help us to improve care for babies in the future.

The study is investigating whether to provide a dose of surfactant, a substance that healthy full term babies produce to make it easier to breathe, should be given sooner to babies born early or wait to see if they improve without it.

To find out more about taking part in research in Bolton, please visit the Trust’s website.