An NHS programme to boost maternity safety and prevent brain injuries during childbirth is to be rolled out across England.
The avoiding brain injuries in childbirth (ABC) programme is designed to help maternity staff better identify signs that a baby is in distress during labour so they can act quickly.
It is also intended to help staff respond more effectively to obstetric emergencies, such as where the baby’s head becomes lodged deep in the mother’s pelvis during a caesarean birth.
The government said the programme, which will begin from September and follows a pilot scheme in nine maternity units, would reduce the number of avoidable brain injuries during childbirth, helping to prevent lifelong conditions such as cerebral palsy.
The health secretary, Wes Streeting, said: “All expectant mothers giving birth in an NHS hospital should have peace of mind that they are in safe hands. This vital programme will give staff across the country the right tools and training to deliver better care to women and their babies, reducing the devastating impact of avoidable brain injuries.”
The most recent data from the neonatal data analysis unit at Imperial College London shows that 2,490 babies had at least one episode of care for brain injury during or after birth in 2021, equating to 4.2 per 1,000 live births.
The pilot scheme, which launched in October, was delivered by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) and the Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute (This).
Ranee Thakar, the RCOG president, said: “The ABC programme supports multidisciplinary maternity teams to deliver safer, more personalised care. Hundreds of maternity staff, including obstetricians, midwives and anaesthesiologists, have been involved in developing and testing this quality improvement programme.
“We have heard what a difference it makes, supporting teams to work effectively together in time-sensitive and high-pressure situations. The RCOG is extremely proud to have been part of this fantastic collaboration.”
The government said the programme should give clinicians more confidence to take swift action managing an emergency.
The RCM chief executive, Gill Walton, said: “The ABC programme has brought together all those involved in maternity care, offering practical solutions to some of the most acute clinical challenges.
“Crucially the ABC programme tools and training have been developed based on the voices of women, families and maternity staff. This has been the key to the success of the pilot programme. Equally, the will and drive of midwives and the wider multidisciplinary team to improve safety and outcomes for women and their families has been evident across the course of the training at the pilot sites.”
The programme is expected to reduce inequalities in maternity outcomes across England so that most maternity units achieve outcomes comparable to the current highest-performing 20% of trusts.
Prof Mary Dixon-Woods, the director of This, said the programme would reduce unwarranted variation. “The pilot has shown that it’s possible to train people effectively and efficiently,” she said. “A national commitment to implement the programme at scale will be important in ensuring that the benefits are seen.”
