Childbirth safety boosted across Kent, Surrey and Sussex as Patient Safety Collaborative delivers regional training

Content warning: Includes discussion of birth injury and clinical emergencies.

Impacted fetal head (IFH) is repeatedly highlighted in national reviews as an avoidable cause of harm during caesarean births. With caesarean rates rising and recent UK studies indicating IFH may complicate one in 10 unplanned caesareans [1], preparing clinical teams for this high risk scenario is now more important than ever.

In January 2026, the Patient Safety Collaborative (PSC) delivered a regional Avoiding Brain Injury in Childbirth (ABC) IFH Train the Trainer study day in Crawley, Sussex and was attended by 24 representatives from all maternity hospital Trusts across Kent, Surrey and Sussex (KSS).

Building confidence and consistency

The PSC Train the Trainer event brought together obstetric consultants and senior midwives, creating strong multidisciplinary representation. The session focused on supporting Trusts to establish sustainable local training models, equipping participants as trainers to improve consistency, safety, and maternal and neonatal outcomes. All Trusts are now actively participating in the training and wider implementation programme.

Nanette Money ABC Programme Lead at Health Innovation KSS said:
“By bringing every Trust in Kent, Surrey and Sussex together under a shared ABC training model, we are strengthening confidence, consistency and teamwork in high risk situations. Ultimately, this is about reducing the risk of serious birth injury and ensuring safer outcomes for women, babies and families.”

A delegate who attended added:
“I was unfamiliar with the management of IFH as a midwife and had never had to do this in clinical practice. I was nervous about this, but I now feel really well informed and able to support other midwives following today.”

Understanding IFH

IFH occurs when a baby’s head becomes lodged deep in the maternal pelvis during labour, making caesarean delivery technically challenging and time critical [2]. UK evidence shows that two in every 100 babies affected by IFH die or experience serious injury [3], underscoring the need for consistent, high quality training.

Putting training into action

To support teams in embedding the training:

• Twice monthly ABC Community of Practice sessions will provide peer support and shared learning
• Programme led site visits will help Trusts embed the training and ensure fidelity to the model
• Ongoing regional collaboration will strengthen consistency of practice across Kent, Surrey and Sussex

The Avoiding Brain Injury in Childbirth (ABC) programme

Commissioned by NHS England, the ABC IFH programme aims to standardise training, reduce unwarranted variation, improve communication and strengthen technical skills across Trusts. Each Trust will receive specialist simulation equipment to deliver hands‑on, train‑the‑trainer sessions locally.

Learn more

To find out more about our work on IFH in KSS, please contact: Nanette Money

More information can be found here: Avoiding Brain Injury in Childbirth (ABC) | RCOG

References

1. Impacted fetal head: A retrospective cohort study of emergency caesarean section – PubMed
2. Essential notes: impacted fetal head – BJA Education
3. Management of Impacted Fetal Head at Caesarean Birth (Scientific Impact Paper No. 73) | RCOG