EMNODN-NEC Study

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Effects of Implementation of a care bundle on rates of necrotising enterocolitis and own mother’s milk feeding in the East Midlands: a mixed methods impact and process evaluation study

• IRAS ID

  323099

• Contact name

  Shalini Ojha

• Contact email

  shalini.ojha@nottingham.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  University Hosptials of Derby and Burton NHS Trust

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 6 months, 30 days

• Research summary

  Necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) is a life-threatening gut disease in babies born early i.e., preterm. Feeding preterm babies their own mother’s milk prevents NEC. Fewer babies in the East Midlands get own mother’s milk than the national average.

  East Midlands Neonatal Operational Delivery Network (EMNODN) has created a care bundle to reduce NEC and increase own mother’s milk feeding among babies born more than 8 weeks early, who are at the greatest risk of NEC. The care bundle describes the support that parents can expect to receive to help mothers feed their breastmilk to their babies.

  Aim
  This study will find whether this bundle is effective in reducing NEC and helping more babies receive own mothers’ milk feeding and helping them get home sooner. It will also identify which parts of the bundle were most useful, its effects on hospital systems and families and how what are the factors that help babies get prepared to go home safely.

  Design and methods
  Using information from all English and Welsh neonatal units from the National Neonatal Research Database over three periods:
  - before the bundle (Jan 2016-Aug 2022)
  - bundle being put in place (Sep 22-Dec 22)
  - with bundle in place (Jan 23-Sep 23)
  we will study if the bundle has improved care in the region compared to the rest of the country. How babies get ready for discharge will be analysed for the whole group together.

  We will interview parents and staff in the EMNODN units and collect data from babies’ medical records. We will study the how the care bundle is used with focus on how people, environments, and systems come together to bring change. It will tell us which parts of the care bundle work best, in whom, and when so that systems can be improved to maximise benefits.

• REC name

  South East Scotland REC 01

• REC reference

  23/SS/0016

• Date of REC Opinion

  27 Feb 2023

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion