We have not calculated a national league table of rates of stillbirths by hospital. However, we can say that the rates of stillbirths and neonatal deaths at Worthing hospital are much lower than the rates for England and Wales. The following table shows number and rate for stillbirths and neonatal deaths in England and Wales and at Worthing Hospital.
Number Rate1 England and Wales 3,483 5.4 Worthing Hospital 7 2.9
Number Rate3 England and Wales 8,826 3.5 Worthing Hospital 7 0.7 1 Per 1,000 live and still births. 2 It is not possible to provide number of neonatal deaths in Worthing hospital for 2005 alone because of the risk of disclosing individual's information due to the very small number of deaths. 3 Per 1,000 live births.
Neonatal survival rates of very preterm babies have improved over the past 10 years. In 2005, the stillbirth rate was 5.4. We are funding research linked to premature births from the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit. Some parts of this research have received additional funding from agencies such as the Medical Research Council. A simple guideline from National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence is being used to help interpret monitoring in labour to identify babies at risk—such babies are then delivered as early as possible.
Data on how many qualified consultants' hours were available to Worthing hospital maternity service per week are not held centrally.