This month during Baby Loss Awareness Week two important reports were released around baby loss.
The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Baby Loss and the APPG on Maternity published a joint report on staffing shortages in maternity and neonatal care. The MBRRACE-UK perinatal mortality report was also released during the week, which reviewed baby deaths before, during or up to 28 days after birth.
The MBRRACE-UK report showed while stillbirths and neonatal deaths have been declining steadily over the last decade, inequalities in access to care and outcomes have persisted. NCT responded to the report and called for tailored support for those families living in the most deprived parts of the country who are at greatest risk of baby loss. We argued that delivering this would require leadership, focus and joint-working from the Government, NHS and individual Trusts.
The APPG report highlighted how there is still work to be done to ensure safe staffing levels at hospitals. This includes better staff training and dedicated funding, so parents and babies have the very best care available to them. We responded to the report and called for properly resourced, funded, and managed maternity services – supported by a multi-year funding settlement from Government.
