Parents’ experiences of care for premature infants in the community: Part 2

In the UK, 60 000 babies are born prematurely every year ( World Health Organization, 2018 ). Neonatal technological advances have resulted in changes to clinical outcomes ( Glass et al, 2015 ). The rates of premature infants born at 22 weeks’ gestation and given life support have increased three-fold in England and Wales ( Smith et al, 2023 ), following changes to NHS guidance for the treatment of extreme prematurity ( Mactier et al, 2020 ). However, these surviving infants can have lifelong disabilities and longstanding health or developmental issues ( Whittingham et al, 2014 ). Consequently, there is an increasing demand for community professionals to support this vulnerable and growing population. The aim of this study is to explore parental experiences of community care after their premature infant is discharged home. Following thematic analysis, three superordinate themes emerged: 1) There is lack of effective service provision for preterm infants and their parents in the community; 2) There is a gap in the knowledge base of community professionals relating to preterm infants; and 3) Parents commend a multidisciplinary approach to their preterm infant and its ongoing health needs. Recommendations have been made to inform future research, policies and community practice. This is the second paper, of a two-part series, exploring parental experiences of community care, when their premature infant is discharged home ( Lockwood et al, 2025 ).