A hard-working Lanarkshire dad whose newborn baby son is fighting for his life has welcomed a bill that will provide parents with financial peace of mind while their baby remains in hospital.
Gary Milligan, 33, from Wishaw can’t afford to take unpaid leave to remain at his son Alfie’s cot-side since he was born at 27 weeks. The tiny tot weighed just 1lb 6oz and he has had to be resuscitated on a number of occasions.
Gary is backing the Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Bill which was introduced at Westminster by Stuart C McDonald MP. The North Lanarkshire politician believes the legislation is urgently needed to allow parents the opportunity to be with their child at such a difficult time.
Lorry driver Gary had to return to work after his wife Monica Sheen, 34, gave birth to Alfie three months early at the Wishaw Neonatal Unit.
Lanarkshire Live revealed back in January this year that the "little warrior" was defying the odds despite respiratory arrest, his lungs collapsing, and having to have seven blood transfusions. Alfie still isn't out of the woods and is now receiving care at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow after spending his first five months at the Wishaw unit.
“Alfie is very ill, and we’ve had to deal with the emotional and financial stress,” Gary told the Daily Record. “It has been a nightmare. Monica is basically a single parent at the moment.
“I have been in some dark places over the last few months due to the pressure.
“People ask if we are coping, but I don’t think we are. We’re just existing right now.”
The dad works 70 hours each week; Monica, an NHS district nurse, is planning to take unpaid leave to remain by Alfie’s side.
“Alfie has been resuscitated so many times since he was born eight months ago,” Gary revealed. “We have no idea when we will be able to bring him home.
“Monica was on maternity pay but when that came to an end we had to decide if she should go back to work or if I should take unpaid leave to be with our son. I’m not able to take time off work, even if I wanted to because Alfie wouldn’t have a home to go back to. We couldn’t afford to pay for our mortgage.”
If passed the Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Bill will provide parents with an additional 12 weeks of paid leave while their newborns are in hospital. It would be in addition to current maternity and paternity leave. The Bill had its second reading in parliament last week and will now go to committee stage on September 7 for detailed examination, when evidence from experts and interest groups can be heard.
Stuart C McDonald, MP said: “No parent should have to choose between being with their premature or sick baby in neonatal care and having to return to work to earn a living; or enjoying the full benefits of parental leave and going back to work.
“With the cost-of-living soaring, it is more important than ever that we secure an urgent change in the law so that parents of babies in neonatal care get the paid leave and support they need at an incredibly challenging time.”
Once in law, neonatal care leave will be available to parents who have been in continuous employment with an employer for at least 26 weeks. It will become a statutory entitlement to parents of babies where hospital care starts up to a period of 28 days from birth, and who have a continuous stay in hospital of seven full days or more.
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