Active not recruitingOBSERVATIONAL

FAcilitating Safe Transition to Home for Preterm Infants: an Observational Study

This study aims to understand what prevents premature babies from going home from hospital earlier and safely. It’s important because getting home sooner can be better for families, as long as it's safe for the baby. Researchers will look at past electronic health records of premature babies in 20 UK hospitals to identify common reasons for discharge delays. They will also do a smaller study at Royal Derby Hospital, tracking why babies are still in hospital and following up with families two weeks after discharge to see if the baby stayed well and didn't need to come back to the hospital. This will help doctors and nurses make sure that the discharge was appropriate and safe, and potentially help develop better support for families.

At a glance

Status

Active not recruiting

Sponsor

University of Nottingham

Enrolment target

155

Start

01 Nov 2022

Estimated completion

31 Aug 2025

Infant, Premature, Discharge

What is this study about?

When babies are born prematurely (before 37 weeks of pregnancy), they often need extra care in a special unit called a neonatal unit. This care can range from intensive support, like help with breathing or feeding through a tube, to more general help with growing and keeping warm. The main goal is to get them well enough to go home safely with their families.

This study, called FAcilitating Safe Transition to Home, wants to understand what often stops premature babies from going home sooner. While it's always best for babies to be well enough before discharge, sometimes there are things that could be managed differently to allow them home a little earlier, provided it's safe. Finding out what these common reasons are will help hospitals improve their services, making the journey home smoother and potentially quicker for many families.

The research will happen in two parts. Firstly, the study team will look back at existing electronic medical records from premature babies treated in 20 hospitals across the UK. They'll be looking for patterns and specific reasons why babies stayed in hospital until a certain point. Secondly, in a smaller part of the study focused at Royal Derby Hospital, they will actively track why babies are still in the unit. Importantly, they will also check in with families two weeks after their baby has gone home to make sure the baby is still doing well and hasn't had to be readmitted to hospital. This follow-up is really important because it helps the team understand if the discharge was truly safe and appropriate in the long run. The information gathered from both parts of the study will be used to help design better services that support premature babies and their families in making a safe and timely journey home.

Key takeaways

Aims to help premature babies go home safely and sooner.
Looks at reasons why premature babies stay in hospital.
Uses past medical records from 20 UK hospitals.
Involves a follow-up with families at Royal Derby Hospital.
Seeks to improve hospital services for premature babies.

Who may be eligible?

This study is looking for information from premature babies who were born before 37 weeks of pregnancy and needed hospital care for more than two days. They also need to have been discharged home eventually.

For the part of the study where researchers actively follow up with families, parents or legal guardians must be available to give their permission to take part.

Hemever, babies won't be included if they had major birth defects or genetic conditions, if they sadly passed away before going home, or if they were moved to another type of healthcare service (not a neonatal unit) before being discharged home.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Was your baby born before 37 weeks of pregnancy?
Did your baby spend more than 2 days in neonatal care?
Was your baby eventually discharged home alive?
For the follow-up part, are you a parent or legal guardian able to give consent?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If your baby's anonymous medical records are part of the retrospective study, you won't need to do anything, as these are existing hospital notes. For those involved in the smaller, prospective study at Royal Derby Hospital, your baby would need to be in the neonatal unit. The study team would then identify what is causing your baby to remain in hospital. After your baby goes home, a member of the study team will contact you about two weeks later. This will be a short chat to find out how your baby is doing and if they have needed to come back to the hospital. This check-in is important to confirm that the discharge was appropriate and safe. The overall duration of your direct involvement would be quite short, mainly consisting of this single follow-up contact after discharge.

Potential risks and benefits

This study mainly looks at existing anonymous hospital records, so there are no direct risks to patients or families involved in this part. For families who participate in the follow-up, the main benefit is contributing valuable information that could help future premature babies and their families experience smoother and safer discharges from hospital. There are no direct personal benefits. The risks are very minimal, mainly involving a short phone call after discharge. You are free to withdraw from the follow-up part of the study at any time, without it affecting your baby's medical care.

Locations (1)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton
Verified postcode
Derby, United Kingdom

Common questions

What is a 'premature infant'?

A premature infant is a baby born before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy.

What does 'PMA' mean?

PMA stands for 'post-menstrual age,' which is a way of measuring a baby's age from the start of the mother's last period to the current time, helping track their development.

Will my baby get extra care if I take part?

No, taking part in this study won't change the medical care your baby receives. The study is about understanding existing care and discharge processes.

Who will see my baby's information?

For the retrospective part, anonymous information from medical records will be used. For the follow-up, only the study team will have access to information shared during your contact.

Why is this study important?

This study is important because it aims to help premature babies go home safely and potentially sooner by understanding and addressing common challenges in their discharge from hospital.