ABC pilot: Improving maternity safety to prevent brain injuries in childbirth
In a significant stride towards improving maternity care, the Government has announced the launch of a new pilot scheme aimed at reducing preventable brain injuries during childbirth.
The pilot is part of the ABC (Avoiding Brain injury in Childbirth) programme being led collaboratively by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Royal College of Midwives and The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute, backed by 拢7.8 million funding from the Department of Health and Social Care.
The initiative will help NHS maternity staff to identify and respond quickly to signs of fetal distress during labour through the use of standardised clinical protocols, innovative tools and multi-professional training. It will also help staff to deal effectively with the obstetric emergency of fetal head impaction, where the baby's head is stuck in the mother's pelvis during a caesarean birth.
The ABC programme is driven by the recognition that birth-related brain injuries not only have lifelong impact on affected families but also represent around 10% of clinical negligence claims against the NHS and equate to more than 50% of the total value of clinical negligence payments. By equipping healthcare professionals with enhanced training and tools, the programme aims to improve overall maternity safety as well as reduce the rising cost of clinical negligence claims.
The pilot, currently being trialled at nine NHS Trusts in England, will be evaluated for its effectiveness in reducing the incidence of preventable injuries. If successful, the scheme could be rolled out nationally by 2025, making it a cornerstone of the government's strategy to improve maternity care.
Our team
At 澳门六合彩资料, we are committed to supporting NHS Trusts and health care organisations with delivering on their strategy to improve maternity outcomes. Our specialist maternity division can provide advice, support and training to organisations in order to assist with incorporating these recommendations to help reduce the number of incidents and create a safer maternity service. Please do get in touch to discuss how me may be able to help your organisation.
Our maternity resources hub also provides resources and information about our specialist team and includes our contact details.
Discover more
Related expertise
You may be interested in...
澳门六合彩资料 - Maternity services
DISCERN study published: How to improve discussions with families when things go wrong in maternity care
Opinion - Maternity services
Revolutionising patient care: Innovative kit for instant translation in 240 languages
Opinion - Maternity services
New Government plans for NHS maternity services: What can we expect?
Opinion - Maternity services
New online system streamlines maternity services at The University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust
Opinion - Maternity services
The power of parental touch for babies undergoing painful procedures
Opinion - Maternity services
Newborns born outside of hospitals at higher risk of hypothermia during emergency responses
Opinion - Maternity services
Health Service Journal reports on growing trend of 鈥渇ree birthing鈥
澳门六合彩资料 - Maternity services
Introduction of baby loss certificates gives recognition to millions of bereaved families in the UK
澳门六合彩资料 - Maternity services
Chesterfield Royal Hospital ranked amongst the top Trusts nationally in the 2023 Maternity Survey
Opinion - Maternity services
Coronial investigations of stillbirths - summary of consultation responses
Opinion - Maternity services
BBC investigation finds NHS interpreting service problems contributed to baby deaths and serious brain injuries
澳门六合彩资料 - Maternity services
The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan 2023
澳门六合彩资料 - Maternity services
HSIB publishes 'Maternity Investigation Programme: Year in Review 2022/23'
Opinion - Maternity services
Racial disparities in maternity care
Opinion - Maternity services
University Hospital Leicester hold their inaugural Maternity Safety Conference
Opinion - Maternity services
Changes to redundancy protections for employees post-maternity leave
Press Release - Maternity services
Father Christmas comes to University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire care of 澳门六合彩资料鈥檚 Birmingham Office Community Action Group
Opinion - Maternity services
The Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF) and its impact on maternity services
Guide - Maternity services
Mediation guide for Clinicians: What do you need to know and how do you need to prepare
Opinion - Maternity services
Baby Loss Awareness Week
On Saturday 15 October a wave of light swept the internet when thousands of people flooded social media with pictures of candles to remember the babies that they have lost. This event signifies the end of Baby Loss Awareness Week which aims to break the silence that is associated with baby loss in pregnancy and infancy.
Opinion - Maternity services
The impact of COVID-19 on maternal deaths
HSIB published its report on Maternal deaths during the first wave of COVID-19. The report takes a closer look at the impact that COVID-19 had during the initial period of March to May 2020.
澳门六合彩资料 - Maternity services
The Ockenden Final Report 鈥 a blueprint for safe maternity care from ward to Board
The much anticipated final Ockenden report was published on 30 March 2020. The final report sets out the findings of the review into care provided to 1,486 families, and sets out a blueprint for safe maternity care.
On-Demand - Maternity services
Maternity mock inquest - film 1
Consent is often a key issue in obstetric claims and if it is relevant to the facts of the death, its likely to be an area explored by a coroner.
On-Demand - Maternity services
Maternity mock inquest - film 2
This video illustrates some of the issues that can arise when a witness is poorly prepared.
On-Demand - Maternity services
Maternity mock inquest - film 3
This film highlights the importance of creating an open and transparent culture where staff feel able to speak up will help Trusts to identify problematic practise before significant issues arise.
澳门六合彩资料 - Maternity services
Checklist when preparing for remote participation in an inquest hearing
Lockdown restrictions in March 2020 led to many inquest hearings being postponed. As restrictions eased, Coroners came under increasing pressure to reduce the number of delayed inquest hearings. In June 2020, the Chief Coroner issued Guidance No. 38 to facilitate remote participation in coroner鈥檚 inquests.