As a concerned parent, I am deeply troubled by the lack of adequate tongue tie services for newborn babies in Hertfordshire. My personal experience with my son, Stanley, has highlighted the urgent need for East & North Hertfordshire NHS Trust to design and deliver a timely and accessible tongue tie service.

The trauma of witnessing my newborn son struggle to feed properly for 14 days will never leave me. Despite being seen by midwives & other health care professionals, his tongue tie was not diagnosed immediately. This delay in identification and treatment had severe consequences on my options to feed him & his ability to feed. 

Once Stanley's condition was finally recognised as tongue tie, we were informed that there would be an agonising 8-week wait to have it snipped by East & North Hertfordshire NHS Trust. Faced with the urgency of my son's malnourishment, we had no choice but to pay nearly £200 for a private procedure the very next day.

It is disheartening to learn that three years later, families are still enduring the same lengthy waiting period for this routine procedure. Tongue tie affects countless newborns each year, hindering their ability to breastfeed effectively and causing unnecessary distress both for them and their parents.

This issue is not just about convenience; it is about ensuring that every child receives proper care from birth without financial burden or unnecessary delays. The provision of an adequate tongue tie service should be a fundamental responsibility of East & North Hertfordshire NHS Trust.

I call upon East & North Hertfordshire NHS Trust to take immediate action by:

1. Designing a comprehensive plan that ensures timely identification and diagnosis of tongue ties in newborns.
2. Establishing an efficient system that minimises waiting times for necessary procedures.
3. Allocating sufficient resources towards training healthcare professionals to accurately identify and manage tongue tie cases.
4. Providing accessible and affordable tongue tie services within the Trust, eliminating the need for families to seek private alternatives.

By signing this petition, I urge East & North Hertfordshire NHS Trust to prioritise the well-being of newborns in our community and take swift action to design and deliver an adequate tongue tie service. Together, we can ensure that no family has to endure unnecessary financial strain or prolonged suffering due to delayed treatment.

[Your Name]