Prematurity is a key driver of mortality in neonatal care, with around three quarters of neonatal deaths among babies born before 37 weeks in the UK. The National Neonatal Audit Programme (NNAP) assesses whether preterm babies admitted to neonatal units in Great Britain receive high-quality care. This includes reporting on six optimal perinatal care measures that, if successfully implemented, it says are linked to key outcomes such as reduced mortality and brain injury. NNAP data shows that only 1 in 5 preterm babies receive all optimal care measures and there is unacceptable variation in their delivery across the country, between Trusts, neonatal units and babies’ ethnicities.

This briefing will examine the evidence behind each measure, analysing levels of adherence to understand why this variation exists, and to what extent variation has an impact on overall outcomes.