Care provided to women who give birth to pre-term babies across the Black Country has been subject to in depth analysis, with the findings and recommendations for improvement due to be shared among clinicians this week.
The review was carried out by the Black Country Local Maternity and Neonatal System (BC LMNS) and focused on 17 cases.
It concentrated on women who either gave birth under 27 weeks’ gestation (for single babies), under 28 weeks (for multiple births), or to babies with an estimated birthweight under 800 grams.
The review highlighted the fact there is currently no provision for a multi-disciplinary review of missed cases to support learning and improvement among the teams. The BC LMNS has now developed an Out of Pathway Review Tool (OPRT) that it believes will improve the prediction and prevention of preterm births.
Helen Hurst, BC LMNS Chief Midwifery Officer, said: “Our Black Country ICB serves the second most deprived area in the country and has a perinatal mortality rate higher than the national average.
“Our rate of pre-term births (defined as births before 37 completed weeks of gestation) remains consistently above the national ambition. In addition, the BC LMNS was not compliant with the national standard that at least 85% of extremely pre-term births should be in a maternity unit co-located with a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (multiples) and babies with an estimated birthweight under 800 grams, in a maternity unit with an alongside Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Following the work to highlight this important pathway, there has been significant improvement.
“The findings of our review, which have prompted the development of the OPRT, will be detailed in a launch event this Thursday (17 July) when we will discuss recommendations and next steps with key teams which support and care for mums-to-be across our four Black Country NHS Trusts. As a system, we are committed to improving Maternity and Neonatal care and ensuring pre-term and high-risk births are in the most appropriate settings.”
Fateh Ghazal, LMNS Obstetric Clinical Director, said a six-month pilot of the new OPRT was started in the Black Country in June this year.
“Our OPRT has been developed with input from the National and Regional Pre-term Birth lead professionals as we work together to ensure timely, equitable access to specialist care, personalised support, and comprehensive, informed decision-making,” he said.
“This review provides a valuable opportunity for reflection and change across perinatal services. By addressing the gaps identified and acting on these insights, the LMNS can better support families facing the challenges of premature labour and birth—ensuring they receive safe, high-quality care, compassionate support, and the best possible outcomes for their babies.”