What needs to be done and why?
Strategic Issue 1
What needs to be done
There is a need for cross-sector collaboration to target maternal health, access to care, poverty, poor housing and education to improve infant outcomes. This should include targeted intervention in the community and community-level support with smoking cessation, healthy pregnancy programmes and breastfeeding education and support.
Why
The infant mortality rate is increasing and significantly higher than the regional and national average. Hartlepool has high levels of deprivation which is a key driver of infant mortality.
Strengthening maternal and early years services in line with NHS England’s Three-Year Delivery Plan for Maternity and Neonatal Services (2023-2026) will address systemic issues in antenatal, perinatal and postnatal care, especially for vulnerable infants. Targeted lifestyle interventions in areas of greatest need (such as smoking cessation) will improve maternal and infant health. Deprivation is a key driver of infant mortality, linked to poor maternal health, low birth weight, and limited access to care. Addressing deprivation and the wider determinants of health will improve infant mortality and outcomes.
Strategic Issue 2
What needs to be done
Prevention services for alcohol and substance use and smoking during pregnancy.
Why
Preventative services are essential to reducing infant mortality and stillbirth by addressing modifiable risk factors.
Strategic Issue 3
What needs to be done
There is a need for maternity services in the Borough for women classed as high-risk during pregnancy.
Why
NHS England’s National Maternity Review emphasises that maternity services should be: personalised and woman-centred with care plans developed locally; community-based where possible to improve access and continuity; and responsive to local population needs, especially in areas with high deprivation or poor outcomes. Residents of Hartlepool have also expressed the need for the return of hospital services locally.