§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what consideration he has given to the case for confidential inquiries into all neonatal deaths; if he will consult the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists on whether such inquiries are now practical on a regional basis; how many health authorities already carry out their own investigations into every neonatal death; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir George Young[pursuant to his reply, 13 December 1979, c. 752–53]; I welcome the interest of members of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the Royal College of Midwives, the British Paediatric Association and other professional organisations in the setting up of confidential inquiries into perinatal deaths and the Department is about to embark on discussions with representatives of the professions about these and other subjects related to the improvement of neonatal care. I also
welcome the initiative taken by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in arranging a study group on perinatal audit, a subject which is particularly relevant to the carrying out of these inquiries, next spring.
Members of the national perinatal epidemiology unit at Oxford, which is funded by the Department, recently sent out questionnaires to area health authorities in England and Wales asking about the extent of confidential inquiries into perinatal deaths either planned or already undertaken, and is currently analysing the replies received. This analysis should provide both information on the number of health authorities already conducting their own investigations and guidelines for their development and extension in future.