PERIPrem: Celebrating six years of success

Highlights  

• PERIPrem (Perinatal Excellence in Reducing Injury in Preterm birth) programme celebrates six years of adoption and spread since launch
• Event recognised the outstanding achievements of South West neonatal and maternity units implementing PERIPrem
• PERIPrem bundle has cared for over 4,000 mothers and babies, and prevented an estimated 30 cases of cerebral palsy and 90 cases of severe brain injury in South West 
• Following success in South West, now scaling nationally 

Colleagues from across the South West region gathered at Somerset County Cricket Ground last month to celebrate the six-year anniversary of the PERIPrem (Perinatal Excellence in Reducing Injury in Preterm birth) programme. 

The event, held on 7 May 2026, was an opportunity to share best practices, learn from experts, and recognise the outstanding achievements of neonatal and maternity units in optimising outcomes for premature babies. 

Watch the highlights video here. 

Regional excellence in numbers 

Since its launch in April 2020, PERIPrem, developed by Health Innovation West of England, Health Innovation South West, and the South West Neonatal Network, has transformed neonatal care in the region. Key achievements highlighted during the day include: 

• 4,185+ mothers and babies cared for under the PERIPrem care bundle. 
• The South West remains the only region in England to achieve the target reduction of neonatal deaths to 1 in 1,000. 
• An estimated 30 cases of cerebral palsy and 90 cases of severe brain injury prevented in the South West. 
• The programme has achieved at least £30 million in NHS cost savings. 

 Learn more about PERIPrem impact in the South West on our PERIPrem webpage.

A day of learning and reflection 

The celebration featured a packed agenda of expert speakers who explored the programme’s clinical and social impact. Clinical Leads, Ann Remmers, Professor Karen Luyt and Dr Sarah Bates opened the day by reflecting on six years of regional excellence and the clinical leadership that drove these results. 

Watch Ann, Karen and Sarah’s presentation. 

A deeply moving segment of the day focused on lived experience, with Lauren Burden sharing her personal story of benefitting from the PERIPrem care pathway with her twins, Arthur and Elliot, who were born in March 2021 at 29 weeks and are now thriving in school. This was followed by a session with Lyndsay Andrews on the critical importance of effective communication with parents experiencing preterm birth. 

Watch Laura Burden’s presentation. 

Watch Lyndsay Andrew’s presentation. 

Tackling inequities in care 

A significant portion of the afternoon was dedicated to anti-racism in preterm birth optimisation. Formed as part of the Race and Health Observatory Learning Action Network, this collaboration between the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) Local Maternity and Neonatal Service (LMNS) and Black Maternity Matters highlighted efforts to increase antenatal optimisation for Black mothers and babies. The session emphasised that while regional outcomes have improved, systemic action is required to ensure these benefits reach all families equitably, noting that babies racialised as Black are 81% more likely to die in NICU nationally. 

Watch the Anti-racism in Preterm Birth presentation. 

Clinical innovations and future directions 

The event also covered technical excellence in care, including: 

Optimal cord clamping: Dr Tracey Kay, Obstetric and Gynaecology Consultant at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, discussed regional excellence in deferred cord clamping, which can decrease mortality by nearly a third. 

SWIFT Service Evaluation: Pippa Griew, Maternity and Neonatal Programme Lead for NHS England South West, presented outcomes from the South West In-Utero Facilitated Transfer (SWIFT) pilot, which aims to ensure 85% of extreme preterm births occur in hospitals with a co-located NICU. 

Watch Tracey Kay’s presentation. 

Recognising achievement 

The day concluded with an awards ceremony to celebrate trust achievements across the region. Certificates were presented to units that demonstrated exceptional adherence to the 11 evidence-based interventions in the PERIPrem care bundle, which include interventions like antenatal steroids, magnesium sulphate, and thermoregulation. 

As PERIPrem enters its next phase, the focus remains on sustainability, data-driven improvement via the NNAP dashboard, and ensuring every preterm baby in the South West receives the best possible start in life. 

Recordings of all the presentations will be available soon via the Health Innovation West of England’s PERIPrem web page. 

This article was originally posted by Health Innovation West of England on May 14, 2026