Latest news with #RaneeThakar
South Wales Guardian
12-05-2025
- Health
- South Wales Guardian
NHS programme to reduce brain injuries in childbirth to be rolled out nationally
The Avoiding Brain Injury in Childbirth (ABC) programme will help maternity staff to better identify signs that the baby is in distress during labour so they can act quickly, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said. It will also help staff respond more effectively to obstetric emergencies, such as where the baby's head becomes lodged deep in the mother's pelvis during a caesarean birth, the DHSC added. The Government programme, which will begin from September and follows a development phase and pilot scheme, will reduce the number of avoidable brain injuries during childbirth – helping to prevent lifelong conditions like cerebral palsy, according to the DHSC. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: 'All expectant mothers giving birth in an NHS hospital should have peace of mind that they are in safe hands. 'This vital programme will give staff across the country the right tools and training to deliver better care to women and their babies, reducing the devastating impact of avoidable brain injuries. 'Under our Plan for Change, we are supporting trusts to make rapid improvements and training thousands more midwives – but I know more needs to be done. We will put women's voices right at the heart of our reforms as we work to improve care.' The national rollout follows a pilot in 12 maternity units that was launched in October and delivered by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Royal College of Midwives (RCM) and The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute. The pilot has shown the programme will fill a gap in current training by bringing multi-disciplinary teams together to work more collaboratively to improve outcomes, the DHSC said. It added that the programme will give clinicians more confidence to take swift action in managing an emergency during labour. It is expected to reduce inequalities in maternity outcomes across England – so that most maternity units achieve outcomes comparable to the highest-performing 20% of trusts. Ranee Thakar, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), said: 'The ABC programme supports multi-disciplinary maternity teams to deliver safer, more personalised care. 'Hundreds of maternity staff, including obstetricians, midwives and anaesthesiologists have been involved in developing and testing this quality improvement programme. 'We have heard what a difference it makes, supporting teams to work effectively together in time-sensitive and high-pressure situations. The RCOG is extremely proud to have been part of this fantastic collaboration.' Gill Walton, Royal College of Midwives chief executive, said: 'Every midwife, maternity support worker, obstetrician, anaesthetist and sonographer wants to provide good, safe care – and the best way to do that is by working and training together. The ABC programme has brought together all those involved in maternity care, offering practical solutions to some of the most acute clinical challenges. 'Crucially the ABC programme tools and training have been developed based on the voices of women, families and maternity staff. This has been the key to the success of the pilot programme. 'Equally the will and drive of midwives and the wider multi-disciplinary team to improve safety and outcomes for women and their families has been evident across the course of the training at the pilot sites.' Professor Mary Dixon-Woods, director of The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute, said: 'The ABC programme design is based on the principle that evidence-based, co-designed patient-focused standardisation of clinical practice can reduce unwarranted variation and improve care and outcomes. 'Crucially, this needs to be supported by comprehensive improvement resources, including training, tools and assets to enable good clinical practice and teamwork and respectful and inclusion communication and decision-making with women and birth partners. 'The pilot has shown that it's possible to train people effectively and efficiently. A national commitment to implement the programme at scale will be important in ensuring that the benefits are seen.' Professor Donald Peebles, national clinical director for maternity, NHS England, said: 'The national implementation of the ABC programme will make a huge difference to babies and their families, helping to prevent the devastating impact of avoidable brain injuries and ensure more healthy babies are returning home with their families. 'This is hugely welcome news for maternity teams across the country who are set to benefit from this important training programme that will help ensure women and babies receive high quality, safe and personalised care.'
Business Mayor
12-05-2025
- Health
- Business Mayor
NHS scheme to prevent brain injuries in childbirth extended across England
An NHS programme to boost maternity safety and prevent brain injuries during childbirth is to be rolled out across England. The avoiding brain injuries in childbirth (ABC) programme is designed to help maternity staff better identify signs that a baby is in distress during labour so they can act quickly. It is also intended to help staff respond more effectively to obstetric emergencies, such as where the baby's head becomes lodged deep in the mother's pelvis during a caesarean birth. The government said the programme, which will begin from September and follows a pilot scheme in nine maternity units, would reduce the number of avoidable brain injuries during childbirth, helping to prevent lifelong conditions such as cerebral palsy. The health secretary, Wes Streeting, said: 'All expectant mothers giving birth in an NHS hospital should have peace of mind that they are in safe hands. This vital programme will give staff across the country the right tools and training to deliver better care to women and their babies, reducing the devastating impact of avoidable brain injuries.' The most recent data from the neonatal data analysis unit at Imperial College London shows that 2,490 babies had at least one episode of care for brain injury during or after birth in 2021, equating to 4.2 per 1,000 live births. The pilot scheme, which launched in October, was delivered by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) and the Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute (This). Ranee Thakar, the RCOG president, said: 'The ABC programme supports multidisciplinary maternity teams to deliver safer, more personalised care. Hundreds of maternity staff, including obstetricians, midwives and anaesthesiologists, have been involved in developing and testing this quality improvement programme. 'We have heard what a difference it makes, supporting teams to work effectively together in time-sensitive and high-pressure situations. The RCOG is extremely proud to have been part of this fantastic collaboration.' The government said the programme should give clinicians more confidence to take swift action managing an emergency. The RCM chief executive, Gill Walton, said: 'The ABC programme has brought together all those involved in maternity care, offering practical solutions to some of the most acute clinical challenges. 'Crucially the ABC programme tools and training have been developed based on the voices of women, families and maternity staff. This has been the key to the success of the pilot programme. Equally, the will and drive of midwives and the wider multidisciplinary team to improve safety and outcomes for women and their families has been evident across the course of the training at the pilot sites.' The programme is expected to reduce inequalities in maternity outcomes across England so that most maternity units achieve outcomes comparable to the current highest-performing 20% of trusts. Prof Mary Dixon-Woods, the director of This, said the programme would reduce unwarranted variation. 'The pilot has shown that it's possible to train people effectively and efficiently,' she said. 'A national commitment to implement the programme at scale will be important in ensuring that the benefits are seen.'
North Wales Chronicle
12-05-2025
- Health
- North Wales Chronicle
NHS programme to reduce brain injuries in childbirth to be rolled out nationally
The Avoiding Brain Injury in Childbirth (ABC) programme will help maternity staff to better identify signs that the baby is in distress during labour so they can act quickly, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said. It will also help staff respond more effectively to obstetric emergencies, such as where the baby's head becomes lodged deep in the mother's pelvis during a caesarean birth, the DHSC added. The Government programme, which will begin from September and follows a development phase and pilot scheme, will reduce the number of avoidable brain injuries during childbirth – helping to prevent lifelong conditions like cerebral palsy, according to the DHSC. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: 'All expectant mothers giving birth in an NHS hospital should have peace of mind that they are in safe hands. 'This vital programme will give staff across the country the right tools and training to deliver better care to women and their babies, reducing the devastating impact of avoidable brain injuries. 'Under our Plan for Change, we are supporting trusts to make rapid improvements and training thousands more midwives – but I know more needs to be done. We will put women's voices right at the heart of our reforms as we work to improve care.' The national rollout follows a pilot in 12 maternity units that was launched in October and delivered by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Royal College of Midwives (RCM) and The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute. The pilot has shown the programme will fill a gap in current training by bringing multi-disciplinary teams together to work more collaboratively to improve outcomes, the DHSC said. It added that the programme will give clinicians more confidence to take swift action in managing an emergency during labour. It is expected to reduce inequalities in maternity outcomes across England – so that most maternity units achieve outcomes comparable to the highest-performing 20% of trusts. Ranee Thakar, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), said: 'The ABC programme supports multi-disciplinary maternity teams to deliver safer, more personalised care. 'Hundreds of maternity staff, including obstetricians, midwives and anaesthesiologists have been involved in developing and testing this quality improvement programme. 'We have heard what a difference it makes, supporting teams to work effectively together in time-sensitive and high-pressure situations. The RCOG is extremely proud to have been part of this fantastic collaboration.' Gill Walton, Royal College of Midwives chief executive, said: 'Every midwife, maternity support worker, obstetrician, anaesthetist and sonographer wants to provide good, safe care – and the best way to do that is by working and training together. The ABC programme has brought together all those involved in maternity care, offering practical solutions to some of the most acute clinical challenges. 'Crucially the ABC programme tools and training have been developed based on the voices of women, families and maternity staff. This has been the key to the success of the pilot programme. 'Equally the will and drive of midwives and the wider multi-disciplinary team to improve safety and outcomes for women and their families has been evident across the course of the training at the pilot sites.' Professor Mary Dixon-Woods, director of The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute, said: 'The ABC programme design is based on the principle that evidence-based, co-designed patient-focused standardisation of clinical practice can reduce unwarranted variation and improve care and outcomes. 'Crucially, this needs to be supported by comprehensive improvement resources, including training, tools and assets to enable good clinical practice and teamwork and respectful and inclusion communication and decision-making with women and birth partners. 'The pilot has shown that it's possible to train people effectively and efficiently. A national commitment to implement the programme at scale will be important in ensuring that the benefits are seen.' Professor Donald Peebles, national clinical director for maternity, NHS England, said: 'The national implementation of the ABC programme will make a huge difference to babies and their families, helping to prevent the devastating impact of avoidable brain injuries and ensure more healthy babies are returning home with their families. 'This is hugely welcome news for maternity teams across the country who are set to benefit from this important training programme that will help ensure women and babies receive high quality, safe and personalised care.'
Powys County Times
12-05-2025
- Health
- Powys County Times
NHS programme to reduce brain injuries in childbirth to be rolled out nationally
An NHS programme to prevent brain injuries during childbirth is set to be rolled out across the country. The Avoiding Brain Injury in Childbirth (ABC) programme will help maternity staff to better identify signs that the baby is in distress during labour so they can act quickly, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said. It will also help staff respond more effectively to obstetric emergencies, such as where the baby's head becomes lodged deep in the mother's pelvis during a caesarean birth, the DHSC added. The Government programme, which will begin from September and follows a development phase and pilot scheme, will reduce the number of avoidable brain injuries during childbirth – helping to prevent lifelong conditions like cerebral palsy, according to the DHSC. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: 'All expectant mothers giving birth in an NHS hospital should have peace of mind that they are in safe hands. 'This vital programme will give staff across the country the right tools and training to deliver better care to women and their babies, reducing the devastating impact of avoidable brain injuries. 'Under our Plan for Change, we are supporting trusts to make rapid improvements and training thousands more midwives – but I know more needs to be done. We will put women's voices right at the heart of our reforms as we work to improve care.' The national rollout follows a pilot in 12 maternity units that was launched in October and delivered by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Royal College of Midwives (RCM) and The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute. The pilot has shown the programme will fill a gap in current training by bringing multi-disciplinary teams together to work more collaboratively to improve outcomes, the DHSC said. It added that the programme will give clinicians more confidence to take swift action in managing an emergency during labour. It is expected to reduce inequalities in maternity outcomes across England – so that most maternity units achieve outcomes comparable to the highest-performing 20% of trusts. Ranee Thakar, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), said: 'The ABC programme supports multi-disciplinary maternity teams to deliver safer, more personalised care. 'Hundreds of maternity staff, including obstetricians, midwives and anaesthesiologists have been involved in developing and testing this quality improvement programme. 'We have heard what a difference it makes, supporting teams to work effectively together in time-sensitive and high-pressure situations. The RCOG is extremely proud to have been part of this fantastic collaboration.' Gill Walton, Royal College of Midwives chief executive, said: 'Every midwife, maternity support worker, obstetrician, anaesthetist and sonographer wants to provide good, safe care – and the best way to do that is by working and training together. The ABC programme has brought together all those involved in maternity care, offering practical solutions to some of the most acute clinical challenges. 'Crucially the ABC programme tools and training have been developed based on the voices of women, families and maternity staff. This has been the key to the success of the pilot programme. 'Equally the will and drive of midwives and the wider multi-disciplinary team to improve safety and outcomes for women and their families has been evident across the course of the training at the pilot sites.' Professor Mary Dixon-Woods, director of The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute, said: 'The ABC programme design is based on the principle that evidence-based, co-designed patient-focused standardisation of clinical practice can reduce unwarranted variation and improve care and outcomes. 'Crucially, this needs to be supported by comprehensive improvement resources, including training, tools and assets to enable good clinical practice and teamwork and respectful and inclusion communication and decision-making with women and birth partners. 'The pilot has shown that it's possible to train people effectively and efficiently. A national commitment to implement the programme at scale will be important in ensuring that the benefits are seen.' Professor Donald Peebles, national clinical director for maternity, NHS England, said: 'The national implementation of the ABC programme will make a huge difference to babies and their families, helping to prevent the devastating impact of avoidable brain injuries and ensure more healthy babies are returning home with their families. 'This is hugely welcome news for maternity teams across the country who are set to benefit from this important training programme that will help ensure women and babies receive high quality, safe and personalised care.'
Leader Live
12-05-2025
- Health
- Leader Live
NHS programme to reduce brain injuries in childbirth to be rolled out nationally
The Avoiding Brain Injury in Childbirth (ABC) programme will help maternity staff to better identify signs that the baby is in distress during labour so they can act quickly, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said. It will also help staff respond more effectively to obstetric emergencies, such as where the baby's head becomes lodged deep in the mother's pelvis during a caesarean birth, the DHSC added. The Government programme, which will begin from September and follows a development phase and pilot scheme, will reduce the number of avoidable brain injuries during childbirth – helping to prevent lifelong conditions like cerebral palsy, according to the DHSC. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: 'All expectant mothers giving birth in an NHS hospital should have peace of mind that they are in safe hands. 'This vital programme will give staff across the country the right tools and training to deliver better care to women and their babies, reducing the devastating impact of avoidable brain injuries. 'Under our Plan for Change, we are supporting trusts to make rapid improvements and training thousands more midwives – but I know more needs to be done. We will put women's voices right at the heart of our reforms as we work to improve care.' The national rollout follows a pilot in 12 maternity units that was launched in October and delivered by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Royal College of Midwives (RCM) and The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute. The pilot has shown the programme will fill a gap in current training by bringing multi-disciplinary teams together to work more collaboratively to improve outcomes, the DHSC said. It added that the programme will give clinicians more confidence to take swift action in managing an emergency during labour. It is expected to reduce inequalities in maternity outcomes across England – so that most maternity units achieve outcomes comparable to the highest-performing 20% of trusts. Ranee Thakar, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), said: 'The ABC programme supports multi-disciplinary maternity teams to deliver safer, more personalised care. 'Hundreds of maternity staff, including obstetricians, midwives and anaesthesiologists have been involved in developing and testing this quality improvement programme. 'We have heard what a difference it makes, supporting teams to work effectively together in time-sensitive and high-pressure situations. The RCOG is extremely proud to have been part of this fantastic collaboration.' Gill Walton, Royal College of Midwives chief executive, said: 'Every midwife, maternity support worker, obstetrician, anaesthetist and sonographer wants to provide good, safe care – and the best way to do that is by working and training together. The ABC programme has brought together all those involved in maternity care, offering practical solutions to some of the most acute clinical challenges. 'Crucially the ABC programme tools and training have been developed based on the voices of women, families and maternity staff. This has been the key to the success of the pilot programme. 'Equally the will and drive of midwives and the wider multi-disciplinary team to improve safety and outcomes for women and their families has been evident across the course of the training at the pilot sites.' Professor Mary Dixon-Woods, director of The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute, said: 'The ABC programme design is based on the principle that evidence-based, co-designed patient-focused standardisation of clinical practice can reduce unwarranted variation and improve care and outcomes. 'Crucially, this needs to be supported by comprehensive improvement resources, including training, tools and assets to enable good clinical practice and teamwork and respectful and inclusion communication and decision-making with women and birth partners. 'The pilot has shown that it's possible to train people effectively and efficiently. A national commitment to implement the programme at scale will be important in ensuring that the benefits are seen.' Professor Donald Peebles, national clinical director for maternity, NHS England, said: 'The national implementation of the ABC programme will make a huge difference to babies and their families, helping to prevent the devastating impact of avoidable brain injuries and ensure more healthy babies are returning home with their families. 'This is hugely welcome news for maternity teams across the country who are set to benefit from this important training programme that will help ensure women and babies receive high quality, safe and personalised care.'
