Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of NHS England's estimate that 600 stillbirths could be prevented annually as a result of implementation of the Saving Babies' Lives Care Bundle; and whether any such assessment has taken account of the failure to include within the Saving Babies' Lives Care Bundle a specific element on twin and multiple births and the higher rates of mortality that occur in twin and multiple births.

The Department welcomes the independent Saving Babies’ Lives Project Impact and Results Evaluation (SPiRE), published earlier this year and commissioned by NHS England.

The report found that maternity staff have helped save more than 160 babies’ lives across 19 maternity units where the Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle had been implemented. The best practice guidance is now being introduced across the country and has the potential if these findings were replicated, to prevent an estimated 600 stillbirths.

In 2017, the Department funded the Twins and Multiple Births Association’s Maternity Engagement Project. The results from the interim report suggest that increased adherence to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance gave better outcomes for multiple births. This further reinforces the Department’s expectation that all health professionals working with multiple pregnancies adhere to the relevant NICE guidance.

We look forward to reviewing the final project report, which we understand is due for publication in mid-2019.