The NHS program is designed to improve maternal safety and prevent brain injuries during childbirth.

The Avoiding Brain Injury (ABC) program is designed to help pregnant women employees better identify signs of a baby being in trouble during delivery, so they can act quickly.

It is also designed to help employees respond more effectively to obstetric emergencies, such as the baby's head deep in the mother's pelvis during a caesarean section.

The government said the plan will begin in September and follow a pilot program of nine maternal units, which will reduce the number of avoidable brain injuries during delivery and help prevent lifelong illnesses such as cerebral palsy.

"All expectant mothers who have children in NHS hospitals should be assured that they can safely grasp it. This important program will enable employees across the country to provide the right tools and training to provide better care for women and their babies, thereby reducing the devastating effects of avoiding brain injuries."

Latest data from the Newborn Data Analysis Division at Imperial College London shows that 2,490 babies have at least one episode of nursing brain injury during or after birth in 2021, equivalent to 4.2 live births per 1,000.

The pilot program was launched in October and is provided by the Royal Academy of Obstetrics and Gynecology (RCOG), the Royal Academy of Midwifery (RCM) and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (This).

Ranee Thakar, president of RCOG, said: “The ABC program supports multidisciplinary maternal teams to provide safer and more personalized care. Hundreds of pregnant women’s staff, including obstetricians, midwives and anesthesiologists, are involved in developing and testing this quality improvement program.

“We have heard it differently, and the support team works effectively in time-sensitive and high pressure situations. RCOG is very proud to be part of this amazing collaboration.”

The government said the plan should give clinicians more confidence to act quickly to manage emergencies.

RCM CEO Gill Walton said: “The ABC program brings together all those involved in maternal care to provide practical solutions to some of the most serious clinical challenges.

“It is crucial that the ABC program tools and training are developed based on the voices of women, families and maternal staff. This is key to the success of the pilot program. Similarly, the will and driving force of midwives and a wider multidisciplinary team to improve women’s safety and outcomes to improve women’s safety and family outcomes, while their families are evident in the training process at the pilot site.”

The plan is expected to reduce inequality in maternal outcomes across England so that most maternal units can achieve results comparable to the current highest performing 20% ​​trust.

Director Professor Mary Dixon-Woods said the plan would reduce unnecessary differences. “Pilots have shown that it is possible to train people effectively and effectively,” she said. “The nationwide commitment to implementing the program at scale is crucial to ensuring that the benefits are seen.”