The use and impact of national confidential enquiries in high-income countries

Use of induction of labour and emergency caesarean section and perinatal outcomes in English maternity services: a national hospital-level study

OBJECTIVES

To assess the association between hospital-level rates of induction of labour and emergency caesarean section, as measures of "practice style", and rates of adverse perinatal outcomes.

DESIGN

National study using electronic maternity records.

SETTING

English National Health Service.

PARTICIPANTS

Hospitals providing maternity care to women between April 2015 and March 2017.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Stillbirth, admission to a neonatal unit, and babies receiving mechanical ventilation.

RESULTS

Among singleton term births, the risk of stillbirth was 0.15%; of admission to a neonatal unit 5.4%; and of mechanical ventilation 0.54%. There was considerable between-hospital variation in the induction of labour rate (minimum 17.5%, maximum 40.7%) and the emergency caesarean section rate (minimum 5.6%, maximum 17.1%). Women who gave birth in hospitals with a higher induction of labour rate had better perinatal outcomes. For each 5%-point increase in induction, there was a decrease in the risk of term stillbirth by 9% (OR 0.91; 95% CI 0.85 to 0.97) and mechanical ventilation by 14% (OR 0.86; 95% CI 0.79 to 0.94). There was no significant association between hospital-level induction of labour rates and neonatal unit admission at term (p>0.05). There was no significant association between hospital-level emergency caesarean section rates and adverse perinatal outcomes (p always >0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

There is considerable between-hospital variation in the use of induction of labour and emergency caesarean section. Hospitals with a higher induction rate had a lower risk of adverse birth outcomes. A similar association was not found for caesarean section.

The Association between the Participation of Quality Control Circle and Patient Safety Culture

Promoting patient safety culture (PSC) is a critical issue for healthcare providers. Quality control circles program (QCCP) can be used as an effective tool to foster long-lasting improvements on the quality of medical institution. The effect of QCCP on PSC is still unknown. This was a retrospective study conducted with matching data. A safety attitudes questionnaire (SAQ) was used for the evaluation of PSC. The association between all scores of six subscales of SAQ and the participation QCCP were analyzed with both the Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests. A total of 2718 valid questionnaires were collected. Most participants of QCCP were females (78.9%), nurses (52.6%), non-supervisors (92.2%), aged <40 years old (64.8%), degree of specialist or university graduates (78%), and with work experience of <10 years (61.6%). Of all participants, the highest scores were in the dimension of safety climate (74.11 ± 17.91) and the lowest scores in the dimension of working conditions (68.90 ± 18.84). The participation of QCCP was associated with higher scores in four dimensions, namely: teamwork climate (p = 0.006), safety climate (p = 0.037), perception of management (p = 0.009), and working conditions (p = 0.015). The participation or not of QCCP had similar results in the dimension of job satisfaction and stress recognition. QCCP was associated with SAQ in subjects with the following characteristics: female, nurse, non-supervisor, aged >50 years old, higher education degrees and with longer working experiences in the hospital. In this first study on the association between each dimension of SAQ and the implementation of QCCP, we found that QCCP interventions were associated with better PSC. QCCP had no benefits in the dimensions of job satisfaction and stress recognition.

Families of victims of homicide: qualitative study of their experiences with mental health inquiries

BACKGROUND

Investigations may be undertaken into mental healthcare related homicides to ascertain if lessons can be learned to prevent the chance of recurrence. Families of victims are variably involved in serious incident reviews. Their perspectives on the inquiry process have rarely been studied.

AIMS

To explore the experiences of investigative processes from the perspectives of family members of homicide victims killed by a mental health patient to better inform the process of conducting inquiries.

METHOD

The study design was informed by interpretive description methodology. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five families whose loved one had been killed by a mental health patient and where there had been a subsequent inquiry process in New Zealand. Data were analysed using an inductive approach.

RESULTS

Families in this study felt excluded, marginalised and disempowered by mental health inquires. The data highlight these families' perspectives, particularly on the importance of a clear process of inquiry, and of actions by healthcare providers that indicate restorative intent.

CONCLUSIONS

Families in this study were united in reporting that they felt excluded from mental health inquiries. We suggest that the inclusion of families' perspectives should be a key consideration in the conduct of mental health inquiries. There may be benefit from inquiries that communicate a clear process of investigation that reflects restorative intent, acknowledges victims, provides appropriate apologies and gives families opportunities to contribute.

Perioperative mortality as a meaningful indicator: Challenges and solutions for measurement, interpretation, and health system improvement

Expanding global access to safe surgical and anaesthesia care is crucial to meet the health targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As global surgical volume increases, improving safety throughout the patient care pathway is a public health priority. At present, an estimated 4.2 million individuals die within 30 days of surgery each year, and many of these deaths are preventable. Important considerations for the collection and reporting of perioperative mortality data have been identified in the literature, but consensus has not been established on the best methodology for the quantification of excess surgical mortality at a hospital or health system level. In this narrative review, we address challenges in the use of perioperative mortality rates (POMR) for improving patient safety. First, we discuss controversies in the use of POMR as a health system indicator and suggest advantages for using a "basket" of procedure-specific mortality rates as an adjunct to gross POMR. We offer then solutions to challenges in the collection and reporting of POMR data, and propose interventions for improving care in the preoperative, operative, and postoperative periods. Finally, we discuss how health systems leaders and frontline clinicians can integrate surgical safety into both national health plans and patient care pathways to drive a sustainable safety revolution in perioperative care.

Mental Health Inquiries in the Case of Homicide

We aimed to identify features of New Zealand government-commissioned inquiries into the provision of mental health services after homicides committed by service users. The analysis of five reports from 1992 to 2016 identified similarities across reports, which included documenting a process; responding to a set terms of reference; detailing a case chronology, risk assessment, team and system issues; making recommendations and giving opportunities to clinicians to respond to adverse comments. Differences included selecting key informants and acknowledging limitations of scope. The inquiries did not specify a means to disseminate findings to stakeholders and follow up recommendations. Unrealised opportunities include attention to relationships between stakeholders and ways to support learning from inquiries. There is no standardised approach to conducting statutory inquiries into mental health services following a homicide. This limits the value of such inquiries for learning and service improvement. We recommend a standardised framework be developed to guide inquiries.

Mental Health Inquiries in the Case of Homicide

We aimed to identify features of New Zealand government-commissioned inquiries into the provision of mental health services after homicides committed by service users. The analysis of five reports from 1992 to 2016 identified similarities across reports, which included documenting a process; responding to a set terms of reference; detailing a case chronology, risk assessment, team and system issues; making recommendations and giving opportunities to clinicians to respond to adverse comments. Differences included selecting key informants and acknowledging limitations of scope. The inquiries did not specify a means to disseminate findings to stakeholders and follow up recommendations. Unrealised opportunities include attention to relationships between stakeholders and ways to support learning from inquiries. There is no standardised approach to conducting statutory inquiries into mental health services following a homicide. This limits the value of such inquiries for learning and service improvement. We recommend a standardised framework be developed to guide inquiries.

Perinatal mortality audits and reviews: Past, present and the way forward

Perinatal deaths are devastating for families and staff involved. Failure to examine perinatal deaths for substandard care prevents learning and may lead to recurrence of events, as well as prolonged morbidity in bereaved families and hospital staff. Perinatal mortality reviews can identify factors contributing to suboptimal care. An integrative literature review was carried out to study the different types of perinatal mortality reviews currently being done internationally, establishing a comparison and examining promising new developments. We start by outlining issues with the classification of perinatal deaths and the different types of perinatal mortality reviews carried out in high-income countries. We reflect on the challenges that are encountered in the current processes and we then comment on how these may be overcome. Current literature shows that differences in classifications of perinatal deaths continue to impede important international comparisons. National perinatal mortality audits can provide reliable high-quality data to facilitate national and international benchmarking. Confidential enquiries give expert assessment on anonymised information to initiate system-wide improvements, but to provide local information on perinatal deaths unit-based multi-disciplinary team reviews are required. Additionally, there is a need to shift from a blame-culture to a focus on achieving best practice by learning from mistakes. Review tools and processes have been implemented in some countries to standardize perinatal mortality reviews, but there is still more work to be done. Involving the bereaved parents in the perinatal mortality review process is important and ways to achieve this are progressing. A structured approach to the perinatal mortality review process should be developed to facilitate sharing of experiences and challenges at national (or international) level. To achieve a reduction in the number of stillbirths and neonatal deaths, it is crucial to ensure that the perinatal mortality audit and review cycle is completed with implementation and re-evaluation of recommended changes in maternity services.

Limitations of track and trigger systems and the National Early Warning Score. Part 3: cultural and behavioural factors

This article discusses the evidence in relation to preventable deaths and a reported culture of suboptimal care. It warns of the dangers of over-relying on track and trigger systems (TTS) in place of clinical judgement. The article explores cultural and behavioural factors, the effects of short staffing and inappropriate skill mix, which all increase the risk of human error. It emphasises a key message that registered nurses must reflect on the need to change their individual and team approaches to the recognition and assessment of the deteriorating patient.

Systematic exploration of local reviews of the care of maternal deaths in the UK and Ireland between 2012 and 2014: a case note review study

OBJECTIVES

Local reviews of the care of women who die in pregnancy and post-birth should be undertaken. We investigated the quantity and quality of hospital reviews.

DESIGN

Anonymised case notes review.

PARTICIPANTS

All 233 women in the UK and Ireland who died during or up to 6 weeks after pregnancy from any cause related to or aggravated by pregnancy or its management in 2012-2014.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The number of local reviews undertaken. Quality was assessed by the composition of the review panel, whether root causes were systematically assessed and actions detailed.

RESULTS

The care of 177/233 (76%) women who died was reviewed locally. The care of women who died in early pregnancy and after 28 days post-birth was less likely to be reviewed as was the care of women who died outside maternity services and who died from mental health-related causes. 140 local reviews were available for assessment. Multidisciplinary review was undertaken for 65% (91/140). External involvement in review occurred in 12% (17/140) and of the family in 14% (19/140). The root causes of deaths were systematically assessed according to national guidance in 13% (18/140). In 88% (123/140) actions were recommended to improve future care, with a timeline and person responsible identified in 55% (77/140). Audit to monitor implementation of changes was recommended in 14% (19/140).

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic assessment of local reviews of care demonstrated that not all hospitals undertake a review of care of women who die during or after pregnancy and in the majority quality is lacking. The care of these women should be reviewed using a standardised robust process including root cause analysis to maximise learning and undertaken by an appropriate multidisciplinary team who are given training, support and adequate time.

Counting every stillbirth and neonatal death through mortality audit to improve quality of care for every pregnant woman and her baby

BACKGROUND

While there is widespread acknowledgment of the need for improved quality and quantity of information on births and deaths, there has been less movement towards systematically capturing and reviewing the causes and avoidable factors linked to deaths, in order to affect change. This is particularly true for stillbirths and neonatal deaths which can fall between different health care providers and departments. Maternal and perinatal mortality audit applies to two of the five objectives in the Every Newborn Action Plan but data on successful approaches to overcome bottlenecks to scaling up audit are lacking.

METHODS

We reviewed the current evidence for facility-based perinatal mortality audit with a focus on low- and middle-income countries and assessed the status of mortality audit policy and implementation. Based on challenges identified in the literature, key challenges to completing the audit cycle and affecting change were identified across the WHO health system building blocks, along with solutions, in order to inform the process of scaling up this strategy with attention to quality.

RESULTS

Maternal death surveillance and review is moving rapidly with many countries enacting and implementing policies and with accountability beyond the single facility conducting the audits. While 51 priority countries report having a policy on maternal death notification in 2014, only 17 countries have a policy for reporting and reviewing stillbirths and neonatal deaths. The existing evidence demonstrates the potential for audit to improve birth outcomes, only if the audit cycle is completed. The primary challenges within the health system building blocks are in the area of leadership and health information. Examples of successful implementation exist from high income countries and select low- and middle-income countries provide valuable learning, especially on the need for leadership for effective audit systems and on the development and the use of clear guidelines and protocols in order to ensure that the audit cycle is completed.

CONCLUSIONS

Health workers have the power to change health care routines in daily practice, but this must be accompanied by concrete inputs at every level of the health system. The system requires data systems including consistent cause of death classification and use of best practice guidelines to monitor performance, as well as leaders to champion the process, especially to ensure a no-blame environment, and to access change agents at other levels to address larger, systemic challenges.

Serious Hazards of Transfusion (SHOT) haemovigilance and progress is improving transfusion safety

The Serious Hazards of Transfusion (SHOT) UK confidential haemovigilance reporting scheme began in 1996. Over the 16 years of reporting, the evidence gathered has prompted changes in transfusion practice from the selection and management of donors to changes in hospital practice, particularly better education and training. However, half or more reports relate to errors in the transfusion process despite the introduction of several measures to improve practice. Transfusion in the UK is very safe: 2·9 million components were issued in 2012, and very few deaths are related to transfusion. The risk of death from transfusion as estimated from SHOT data in 2012 is 1 in 322 580 components issued and for major morbidity, 1 in 21 413 components issued; the risk of transfusion-transmitted infection is much lower. Acute transfusion reactions and transfusion-associated circulatory overload carry the highest risk for morbidity and death. The high rate of participation in SHOT by National Health Service organizations, 99·5%, is encouraging. Despite the very useful information gained about transfusion reactions, the main risks remain human factors. The recommendations on reduction of errors through a ‘back to basics’ approach from the first annual SHOT report remain absolutely relevant today.

Reflections on the maternal mortality millennium goal

BACKGROUND

Nearly every 2 minutes, somewhere in the world, a woman dies because of complications of pregnancy and childbirth. Every such death is an overwhelming catastrophe for everyone confronted with it. Most deaths occur in developing countries, especially in Africa and southern Asia, but a significant number also occur in the developed world.

METHODS

We examined the available data on the progress and the challenges to the United Nations' fifth Millennium Development Goal of achieving a 75 percent worldwide reduction in the maternal mortality by 2015 from what it was in 1990.

RESULTS

Some countries, such as Belarus, Egypt, Estonia, Honduras, Iran, Lithuania, Malaysia, Romania, Sri Lanka and Thailand, are likely to meet the target by 2015. Many poor countries with weak health infrastructures and high fertility rates are unlikely to meet the goal. Some, such as Botswana, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, Guyana, Lesotho, Namibia, Somalia, South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe, had worse maternal mortality ratios in 2010 than in 1990, partially because of wars and civil strife. Worldwide, the leading causes of maternal death are still hemorrhage, hypertension, sepsis, obstructed labor, and unsafe abortions, while indirect causes are gaining in importance in developed countries.

CONCLUSIONS

Maternal death is especially distressing if it was potentially preventable. However, as there is no single cause, there is no silver bullet to correct the problem. Many countries also face new challenges as their childbearing population is growing in age and in weight. Much remains to be done to make safe motherhood a reality.