Extremely premature babies must be automatically entitled to follow-up care, a charity has warned.
The call by Mencap follows research from the Epicure study that shows nearly half of extremely premature babies who survive develop a disability or learning difficulty.
Lesley Campbell, children's officer at Mencap, called for an entitlement model such as in New Zealand, where authorities provide babies born under 26 weeks, or who weigh less than 1,500 grams, with tailor-made packages and follow-up support.
"Parents don't have to chase around for what they need - it's offered to them without them having to ask. In spite of initiatives such as the Early Support programme, it's piecemeal here."
She said the Epicure study, conducted by researchers at the University of Nottingham, would enable professionals to offer better advice to parents.
