Maitland Hospital emergency department is calling for the community to dig deep and help meet its desperate need for vital equipment to treat a major increase in the number of babies requiring urgent care.

Topping the list of needed equipment is a mobile bassinet unit (known as a CosyCot) which has a price tag of $28,000.

Times are tough and the usual sources of donations are drying up so nurses and clerical staff are turning back the clock to a classic fundraiser – a black tie extravaganza – to kick off their CosyCot appeal. 

“We are seeing sicker and sicker babies coming through our department and we need this mobile bassinet unit to help look after them,” Jackie Searle, from the emergency department events committee, said. 

“And it’s going to cost about $28,000 so we have a fair job on our hands.”

The equipment is designed to stabilise and control an infant’s skin temperature and incorporates an oxygen delivery system, suction and a heating and light unit within the bassinet.

This allows resuscitation in the safest way possible.

Tiny Harvey Brown – who was born 10 weeks premature and weighing 1560 grams – is one baby who would benefit from the equipment.

“Harvey is one baby who could benefit from this equipment because if he comes back in with an infection he would need this sort of assistance,” Maitland Hospital paediatric nurse unit manager Jade Starkey said.

“The emergency department staff are the ones who are at the frontline so if they have a critically ill baby coming in then they need this piece of equipment as soon as possible.”

Ms Searle, also a registered nurse, said the group formed about six months ago with a view to raise much-needed funds for the hospital.

“We’ve decided as an independent group that we would like to fundraise for our department,” she said.

“We’ve been begging for donations and it has been hard but we do have other items on our list and we hope to raise money for them also.”

The committee is holding a black tie extravaganza on Saturday, November 10, at Telarah Bowling Club, to raise money for the CosyCot.

“We really do appreciate the amazing amount of work these guys have done,” clinical nurse educator Karissa MacGregor said.

“They have gone out of their way to form this committee, which isn’t necessarily an easy thing to do, and we love that they are raising funds to further contribute to quality care for our patients.”

Tickets for the event are available by phoning the hospital on 4939 2000. You can also make donations for the CosyCot appeal at the Maitland Mercury.