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<p>As from 1 April 2019, the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) maternity
investigations programme is fully staffed and operational in every healthcare region
in England.</p><p>The HSIB is estimated to undertake 1,000 investigations in 2019.
Work will be undertaken to forecast future estimates for the next three years based
on the most recent datasets held by the HSIB.</p><p>Since the start of the HSIB maternity
investigations programme up until 12 April 2019, a total of 401 investigations have
gone live and four investigations have been completed. From 1 April 2019 HSIB will
be operating at full capacity and is continuously refining its methodology to improve
the turn-around time for completing investigations. As a result, the number of investigations
completed are expected to increase in 2019.</p><p>The 60-day timeframe applies to
the current NHS Serious Incident Framework. In line with the National Health Service
Trust Development Authority (Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch) (Additional Investigatory
Functions in respect of Maternity Cases) Directions 2018, HSIB is required to complete
investigations within 6 months. <strong> </strong></p><p>The HSIB’s investigations
will replace hospital reviews of intrapartum stillbirths only for cases which fall
within scope of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’ Each Baby Counts
criteria. This criterion includes all term babies (at least 37 completed weeks of
gestation) born following labour who have one of the following outcomes: intrapartum
stillbirth or where the baby was thought to be alive at the start of labour but was
born with no signs of life.</p><p>The HSIB was allocated £10 million in 2018/19 for
the maternity investigations programme. A final budget for 2019/20 is to be finalised.
Budgets for future years have not been determined.</p><p>The National Health Service
Trust Development Authority (Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch) (Additional Investigatory
Functions in respect of Maternity Cases) Directions 2018 states that “In carrying
out the additional investigatory functions, the ‘safe space principle’ as described
at paragraph 6(1) of HSIB Directions does not apply.”</p>
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