CHARITY

Help Northamptonshire Health Charity keep parents close to their unwell babies on local neonatal unit

Northamptonshire Health Charity is fundraising to help ensure that more parents can stay closer to their unwell baby being cared for by Gosset Ward, the neonatal unit at Northampton General Hospital. Gosset ward has 20 cots and a dedicated medical team who look after around 400 babies per year. Some babies are as much as 18 weeks premature, weighing less than a bag of sugar, and stay in the hospital for over four months.

When a baby is unwell, it is understandable that parents will want to stay close to them and Northamptonshire Health Charity wants to support parents at such a difficult time . Little in life could be more upsetting; your baby is sick in the hospital, but you have to go home. This places a great strain on parents, who spend many hours each week travelling back and forth to the hospital, leaving their baby at night.

Michelle Hardwick, Matron for Child Health said, “Every year, the unit cares for many sick babies from all around the Midlands and sometimes even further afield. Currently, we have one parents bedroom for a 20-cot unit, which is not enough to support the needs of all the families whose babies we care for. We want to build on-site accommodation so more parents can be closer to their baby for more of the time during their stay in hospital.” As NHS funding is limited and providing such accommodation is above and beyond what can be funded, with your donations and fundraising you can help the team build a twobedroom en-suite parent block very near to the unit. Dr Nick Barnes, Consultant Paediatrician and Lead Consultant for Neonates said, “No matter how large or small, every donation will really help. Charitable donations really make a significant difference to the care the Northampton neonatal unit can provide, particularly in helping parents through a very challenging time.”

> Find out how you can get involved via the charity’s website: northamptonshirehealthcharity.co.uk/ appeals/gosset-ward-parent-rooms or contact the charity team on 01604 626927 or email greenheart@nhcf.co.uk

Looking for a challenge?

Abseil 418ft for charity!

Help us raise funds to build Gosset Ward Parent Rooms

At Northampton Neonatal unit

Join us at: Northampton Lift Tower on Saturday 17th June 2023 Donate so more parents can be closer to their unwell baby in hospital. now

Get Involved

01604 626927 01536 491569

greenheart@nhcf.co.uk Having an unwell new baby is a life event. We want to support parents at such a difficult time.

Get Involved

01604 626927

greenheart@nhcf.co.uk

Private Oncology Services Offered in Northamptonshire

At Three Shires Hospital, our Oncology Department treats a wide range of cancers including:

• Breast • Bowel • Bladder • Prostate • Head & Neck • Pancreatic • Gynaecological • Lung • Brain tumor • Kidney At Three Shires Hospital, our Macmillan accredited Oncology Department in Northampton provides you with fast access to treatment in a comfortable and friendly setting.

How quickly can I be seen at the Three Shires? If you’ve got symptoms, your GP can refer you to the necessary consultant here at the Three Shires Hospital. Depending on your diagnosis, you could potentially start treatment within a week. What can you expect when you come and see us at Three Shires Hospital? It’s quite relaxed in our Oncology department, so the atmosphere is very nice for patients and their families. We do encourage all our patients to come in with their family members, as when you first start your treatment, you’ll come for a pre-chemo chat whereby you get to see the department and meet the staff. What do you love about working in Oncology? The ability to have an impact on someone when they are going through possibly one of the hardest times of their life. Being able to support, help and advise people throughout their experiences is the reason I do what I do. What kind of support is available to me? No matter your concerns, our specialist Oncology nurses are available 24/7. We hold an emergency phone where you can contact one of our specialist nurses out of hours. If you have side effects from your treatment or any general concerns, our nurses will be on board to assist.

If you would like to book an appointment with one of our specialist consultants, please call 01604 620311.

25695 2295 MKT ADV / 12.2022

Dr. Diana Rose Head of Family Law

No-fault divorce

A step-by-step guide

NORTHAMPTON 29 Billing Road Northampton NN1 5DQ 01604 622101

KETTERING 18 Brooklands Court Kettering Venture Park Kettering NN15 6FD 01536 523434 bmtclaw.co.uk

This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Please note that the law may have changed since this article was published. S ince April 2022, couples have been able to seek a divorce after one year of marriage without having to blame their former partner for any reason. Prior to the change in the law, couples who agreed to separate had to wait at least two years before they could divorce. If they wanted a divorce prior to this, then blame had to be attributed to their spouse. There were no alternative options.

Diana Rose, a Partner in the family team with Borneo Martell Turner Coulston in Kettering explains, ‘Thankfully the introduction of no-fault divorce means you can now petition straight away without blame being attributed to either spouse. It is hoped this will lead to less acrimony.’

Diana Rose provides a step-by-step guide to the no-fault divorce process.

Step 1 - Consult an experienced family solicitor Divorce is not a step anyone takes lightly. It will mean significant changes for your family, and for your finances. It is important that you speak to a specialist family lawyer about the implications and how you and any children can be looked after best.

Step 2 - The application Once you have decided to proceed with a divorce, your Solicitor will draft the required court papers for you. You must have been married at least one year before you can apply for divorce.

If you and your former spouse both agree that the marriage has ended, then you can apply for divorce jointly. The draft the application will be lodged together with your marriage certificate at the court office.

Step 3 - Wait for court papers Your application will then be processed by the court. This step is known as the court ‘issuing’ your divorce. The timescale for this occurring varies, but it usually takes around two to four weeks.

Step 4 - The acknowledgement If you have applied jointly, you and your former spouse will have to complete an acknowledgement of receipt of the court papers.

Step 5 - Reflection period A 20-week period for reflection follows. It allows couples to adjust to their divorce, and time to discuss any child or financial arrangements needed.

Step 6 - Conditional order After the expiry of the 20-week reflection period from when your divorce application was issued, your Solicitor can apply for a conditional order (this used to be called a decree nisi).

It is an order confirming that the court is satisfied there is no legal reason why you cannot divorce.

Step 7 - Cooling off period After the making of the conditional order, you enter a six week ‘cooling off’ period. The period of six weeks remains from the previous divorce process and allows couples to ensure they really do wish to proceed to dissolve their marriage.

Step 8 - Final order At the expiry of the cooling off period, your Solicitor can apply for your final order (previously known as the decree absolute). It is not until your final order is made that your divorce is legally finalised, and your marriage dissolved.

How we can help We can advise you on your rights and entitlements and help you to reach an amicable way forward with your former spouse. If an agreement is not possible, then we can advise you on the options you have via mediation or court. If you are contemplating divorce, or just want some preliminary advice on the steps involved and what it would mean for you, please contact Diana Rose in the family law team on 01604 622101 or email diana.rose@ bmtclaw.co.uk.

Borneo Martell Turner Coulston have divorce law specialists in both Northampton and Kettering offices.