Maternity staffing levels could be reduced, which poses “a risk”, when the current health authority for Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes (BLMK) is dismantled, a meeting heard.

A continued higher than average infant mortality rate in Bedfordshire has remained in place for many years, according to a report.

“The number of children under one year and mothers dying each year in BLMK is small,” explained the report. “The local maternity and neonatal system (LMNS) board agreed to support a detailed analysis into the causes of these deaths.

“It was produced within the Luton public health team on behalf of the integrated care system (ICS) footprint, analysing infant and maternal mortality data in BLMK between 2019 and 2024.

File photo of a baby drinking from a bottle

placeholder image — File photo of a baby drinking from a bottle

“Clear risk factors were identified for infant and maternal mortality, with infant mortality decreasing, while still high in Luton, and a lower prevalence of health conditions or risk factors, except for obesity and smoking.

“The report showed:

higher pre-term birth rates in BLMK than the national average, linked to deprivation and Black ethnicity
low birth weight follows similar patterns
and increasing caesarean sections with an overall rise in BLMK

LBC’s joint interim director of public health Elizabeth Elliott told the review group: “This was led by Luton public health, but covered the whole of BLMK.

“We know the rates of infant mortality are higher for BLMK than across England as an average,” she said.

“The report came back with 17 headlines and 34 separate recommendations. These are being implemented as part of the local maternity and neonatal services.

“Within public health, there’s a maternity specialist post to support around those issues, such as smoking and obesity, and to consider inequalities.

“There are clear correlations around deprivation and these slightly higher rates of infant mortality, and issues around different ethnic groups. There’s plenty we can do targeting those people at risk and in need through those factors.

“This piece of work won’t be repeated in a year’s time, as it’s one person’s input for about six months. But as our maternity specialist post and family hubs are working together, all that effort is now part of an action plan.”

Labour Lewsey councillor Yarun Begum asked what impact the integrated care board (ICB) being dismantled would have.

Ms Elliott replied: “The ICB will merge with Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough within the next 18 months, so it’s not imminent.

“What won’t change is the responsibility of the NHS to deliver on maternity care, although it might happen at a higher footprint level. There’ll be that oversight and assurance, whereby the NHS will be commissioning services and delivering them.

“It mightn’t have the staff that there currently are to support. So we’ll have to work with that and it’s a risk, absolutely.”

The review group agreed recommendations backing the system-wide action plan.