Working to improve health outcomes for mothers, babies & children in the North of England

The Regional Maternity Survey Office (RMSO) is based in Newcastle University premises and has been part of the North East Public Health Observatory since April 2002. The RMSO has a small number of permanent staff but is supported by a large number of clinical staff (doctors, nurses, midwives and other health professionals) across the region. Since 1981 the RMSO has kept an account of the health outcomes for mothers and babies across the North of England. It is important to measure these outcomes so that we can:

• Investigate the causes of problems related to pregnancy and childbirth
• Provide information to hospitals and their staff to audit the quality of care they provide

What happens at the RMSO?

Information is collected from hospitals across the region and held on a secure computer system at the RMSO. The information relates to specific surveys or audits which are used to investigate aspects of care or particular problems. These are:

• Perinatal Mortality Survey (PMS)
• Northern Congenital Abnormality Survey (NorCAS)
• Northern Diabetes in Pregnancy Survey (NorDIP)
• Northern Survey of Twin and Multiple Pregnancy (NorSTAMP)
• North of England Collaborative Cerebral Palsy Survey (NECCPS)

The RMSO is also the regional office for the Centre for Maternal and Child Enquiries (CMACE)

We feedback to the hospitals and their staff through:

• Annual reports
• Annual meetings
• Regular reports
• Bespoke reports