OUTSTANDING care provided by Southmead Hospital’s maternity unit has been highlighted in a speech by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

During the announcement yesterday, the Health Secretary, who visited Southmead back in July, also outlined plans to roll out their successful Practical Obstetric Multi-Professional Training (PROMPT) scheme to other trusts across England.

The unveiled measures are designed to further improve maternity safety in the NHS, including £8 million for hospitals to roll out multi-disciplinary training packages, such as PROMPT.

Pioneered by Professor Tim Draycott, Cathy Winter and a team at Southmead Maternity Unit, the PROMPT scheme is an evidence-based multi-professional training package for obstetric emergencies, and has been associated with some of the lowest child mortality rates in Europe.

It has been linked with direct improvements in perinatal outcome and has been proven to improve knowledge, clinical skills and team working.

Professor Draycott said: “We are proud that our maternity carers and researchers’ work has been recognised, and we will continue to support our research teams to reach out across the world to promote safer birth together.”

Mr Hunt also outlined 10 key actions the NHS will take over the next year to improve maternity safety, including a £250,000 Maternity Safety Innovation Fund to help create and pilot new ideas for improving maternity care. 

The Maternity Safety Innovation Fund will provide resources to Trusts to improve their approach to maternity safety, and make sure lessons are learned from mistakes and shared openly and transparently across the NHS.