Hospital trust chosen for pilot scheme to save lives

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust is representing the North East in the National Maternal and Neonatal Health and Safety Collaborative programme.

The three-year programme, launched in 2016 by NHS Improvement, aims to reduce the rates of maternal deaths, stillbirths, neonatal deaths and brain injuries that occur during or soon after birth by 20% by 2020 and 50% by 2030.

The trust is one of 44 taking part in the first wave of the programme, and the only one in the region.

Clinical director of women and children’s services at the trust, Dr Elaine Gouk (pictured far right), said: “It’s really great for us to be in the first wave as it means we can help to mould the development of the project.

“We’re able to link with similar organisations across the country and share our best practice and our learning to help improve maternity and neonatal services throughout the NHS and the independent sector.

“It’s been really interesting to be involved in this programme.”

The programme was announced by the Department of Health in October 2016 and supports the aims of the NHS England’s Better Births Maternity Review and the Maternity Transformation Programme.

Health chiefs say the national ambition requires all NHS trusts and any independent providers who provide maternity services in England to make measurable improvements in safety outcomes for women, their babies and families by exchanging ideas and best practice.