Saving babies’ lives 2025
This is the third Saving Babies’ Lives Progress report published by the Joint Policy Unit. The report summarises the latest data and outlines 10 key actions for policymakers.
Entries by JPU
Is reproductive health and childbirth research over-funded? How pregnancy loss is ignored by disability-adjusted life years
In response to the claim that reproductive health and childbirth research receives a higher proportion of research funding than the corresponding burden of disease, we explore the limitations of metrics which compare health conditions and how they ignore the impact of pregnancy loss.
Investment in maternity and neonatal services in Wales
Investment in maternity and neonatal services has not kept up with the rate of inflation over recent years, and spending in this area has remained a relatively small proportion of overall spending on healthcare in Wales. More investment is needed to reduce rates of stillbirth and neonatal death, tackle inequalities and support improvements in the safety and quality of services.
Interpreting and translation services in maternity and neonatal care
Reports and reviews have highlighted issues with the use and quality of interpreting and translation services in maternity and neonatal care, contributing to poor outcomes and avoidable harm. We have collated and synthesised these issues, with a focus on interpreting services, and have put forward considerations for policymakers.
Joint Policy Unit response to the 10 year health plan consultation
The Joint Policy Unit has responded to the Change NHS consultation, which will inform a new 10 year plan for the NHS in England.
Towards the best: Future maternity safety ambitions to save more babies’ lives
The National Maternity Safety Ambitions – which aim to halve the 2010 rates of stillbirths, neonatal and maternal deaths and brain injuries and reduce the rate of preterm births from 8% to 6% – expire in 2025. We have considered what appropriate ambitions for reducing perinatal mortality and preterm birth could look like.
Counting miscarriages in the UK
Unlike stillbirths and neonatal deaths, the number of miscarriages which occur each year in the UK are not measured or reported. This briefing note outlines what data are currently available in each nation, what improvement work is underway and what further action is required.
Learning from past reviews and reports
The Sands and Tommy’s Joint Policy Unit reviewed 30 reports into maternity and neonatal services across the UK. For each of these reports we identified recommendations relevant to saving babies’ lives and tackling inequalities, and then grouped these into key themes.
