The 'So What' of maternity data (August 2022)

Summary

This report from the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) aims to explore how the multiple national data sets and national audits are used in maternity services across the UK.

Based on data from a survey of over 100 people working in a variety of roles across maternity services and a series of in-depth interviews with a diverse group of clinicians and methodologists working in this area, the report explores what data is being reviewed and how it might influence quality improvement, as well as the burden of data.

Content

The report found that the datasets most likely to be identified as influencing change are those which review maternal and neonatal mortality, namely those produced by MBRRACE-UK and HSIB reports. Other key findings include:

• Recommendations were commonly identified as the most useful thing within reports, particularly by clinical staff
• Resource and time constraints for quality improvements were commonly cited as barriers, but
• More than 85% of respondents felt that at least one dataset was influencing quality improvement.

The report goes on to make a number of recommendations, including a call for central bodies to develop a single website that signposts to all national maternity reports and datasets, and contains up-to-date guidance on all mandatory reporting requirements.