PremPath v1.0 [CAG Pilot]
Research type
Research Study
Full title
PremPath: Improving the optimisation and stabilisation of the preterm infant
IRAS ID
334199
Contact name
Nicola Mackintosh
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Leicester
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 1 months, 31 days
Research summary
Background
When babies are born premature (before 37 weeks of pregnancy), they are at greater risk of needing neonatal care. The earlier in pregnancy a baby is born, the higher the chance of the baby not surviving or having a longterm illness. There is a specific care pathway to make sure babies who are born prematurely have the best chance of survival and quality of life.Aim
To look at how a pathway of care for babies who are born premature in England is working in practice, and how best to improve it.Design and methods
We will choose four NHS Trusts to be case studies. We will
1. Look at their documents and procedures
2. Observe staff caring for babies, mums and families.
3. Map their care processes
4. Interview staff, and parents.We will create pictures and maps to help visualise journeys, barriers, and critical decision-making points along the pathway.
Patient and public involvement
A parent and a representative from Bliss, the charity for premature and sick babies, are members of our project team. We are also working with a parent panel of five parents with experience of having a preterm baby. Parent perspectives have informed study design and will inform data collection and analysis as the project progresses.Dissemination and impact
We will bring together our collaborators, clinicians, professional bodies and policy makers at the end of the project to think about the significance of our findings. We will produce a short animation to share key messages and will publish in academic journals. Our findings will help the people who develop services to know what will improve the quality of care for premature babies long-term.REC name
East Midlands - Leicester South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/EM/0005
Date of REC Opinion
1 Mar 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion