Death rates in Black Country maternity units among highest in UK

A new report claims that death rates among babies born at maternity units in Wolverhampton, Dudley and Sandwell are at least 10 per cent higher than the national average.

But health chiefs have hit back, saying that they work in a highly deprived area and where people generally lead unhealthier lifestyles. Wolverhampton also argues its specialist status means it takes on riskier cases.

The three trusts, along with Birmingham Women's NHS Foundation Trust, are among 21 out of 165 across the UK which have been traffic-lighted as 'red', and ordered to take action to improve.

Overall, stillbirths fell by eight per cent between 2013 to 2015 from 4.20 to 3.87 per 1,000 births. But the authors of the report said that the rates still remain high compared with similar European countries and that there was 'significant variation' across Britain.

The death rate in babies up to a month old, or neonatal deaths, has remained fairly static over the same two-year period with a fall from 1.84 to 1.74 deaths per 1,000 live births. Wolverhampton reported a fall in stillbirths but a rise in deaths of babies aged 24 - 27 weeks.

The problem has been highlighted in the new MBRRACE-UK (Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquires across the UK) report based on births from January to December 2015 .

Dr Brad Manktelow, of University of Leicester, who led the review, said: "Those trusts and health boards identified with high rates of stillbirth or neonatal death rates should review the quality of the care they provide."

Experts grouped broadly similar organisations together by their type and size to compare mortality rates. Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which serves Kidderminster, was also identified as in the 'red' category.

Mandy Forrester, head of quality and standards at the Royal College of Midwives, said: "This is a welcome reduction and things are moving in the right direction but there is still much more to do.

"There is rightly a need to tackle neonatal death rates which have not fallen as much as the stillbirth rate. However, there is clearly a need to put even greater efforts into reducing both.

"The variation in stillbirth rates across the UK remains a concern. This could be because of the socio-economic wellbeing of communities, and we know inequality is linked to higher stillbirth rates and poorer outcomes for the baby. It may also be in the quality of local services and this needs investigation."

Professor Lesley Regan, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said key actions included good monitoring of babies both during pregnancy and afterwards, as well as addressing potential human errors made in stressful situations.