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<p>In November 2017, my Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced that, from
April 2018, the Health Service Investigation Branch (HSIB) would investigate each
case of early neonatal death, term intrapartum stillbirth and severe brain injury
in babies, as well as each case of maternal death in England. This remit and the definition
of qualifying maternity cases was set out in the Secretary of State’s directions,
NHS Trust Development Authority (HSIB Maternity Investigations) Directions 2018, published
on 26 April 2018.</p><p> </p><p>The new investigative approach began in a single region
in April 2018 and will roll out to all areas of England during 2018/19. Rollout will
be complete by the end of March 2019. It is estimated that there are approximately
1,000 cases of birth-related deaths or serious brain injuries in babies in England
every year. The expectation is that the learning from investigations will spur system
improvements leading to fewer deaths and injuries in the future.</p><p> </p><p>The
HSIB has been allocated £8 million of additional funding to implement the new maternity
investigation programme in 2018/19.</p><p> </p><p>The HSIB will produce an investigation
report for each maternity investigation it undertakes and will make recommendations
to the relevant National Health Service trust or foundation trust.</p><p> </p><p>It
will be for individual trusts to put into place actions to address the recommendations
of individual reports and ensure that the learning from HSIB investigations is put
into practice so that avoidable harms are reduced. The Care Quality Commission, which
monitors, inspects and regulates NHS providers does, in carrying out its functions,
take into account a variety of data and intelligence sources. The HSIB maternity investigation
recommendations and the actions NHS trusts and foundation trusts have taken in response
could form part of these data sources and be taken into account where relevant.</p>
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