Reducing still births and early neonatal deaths

Doctors and midwives at the Royal Oldham Hospital will be working with a national organisation on a programme to help reduce stillbirth and early neonatal deaths in the region.

Staff at maternity units across the Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust will work with the Perinatal Institute on the scheme, which will attempt to improve the detection and management of babies who are smaller than expected.

The institute was set up to improve the quality and safety of maternity care to counter high rates of stillbirths. Its work led to the first reduction in stillbirths in England for 20 years.