You can access NNAP data for the audit years 2014 to 2020 on NNAP Online. Data are presented at unit and network level. Because not all neonatal units have been included in the audit for the whole of this time (for example Scottish units joined the audit in 2015, and are not included in 2020 and 2021) you may find that data are not available for a unit for a given year. If you have any questions about this, please contact the NNAP team at: nnap@rcpch.ac.uk. You can access the full details of the NNAP audit measures and standards via the NNAP web pages at www.rcpch.ac.uk/work-we-do/quality-improvement-patient-safety/national-neonatal-audit-programme-nnap/measures

Note that due to changes in measure definition and methodology, including the method used for case mix adjustment, not all years are directly comparable and year-on-year comparisons should be made with caution.

Starting from 2017, we report outlier analysis and other analysis using a “no imputation” approach. By this we mean that rates of adherence to standards, or rates of clinical outcomes are described for the babies where the outcome is known. Numbers of patients with missing data are presented alongside clinical data. This means that results from 2017 onwards may not be directly comparable with results from 2014-2016 as displayed in the annual report, unit and network data sections and poster downloads. In previous years missing data were counted as negative outcomes or non-adherence to standards. All outlier data and longitudinal outlier data (available from 2015 to 2019) are reported using the “no imputation” approach for all years, so are comparable. You can use the longitudinal outlier analysis section to consider change in unit and network performance for a selection of NNAP measures.

For the measures BPD or death and Mortality until discharge home, the matching variables and methods of adjustment are different between previous years’ analysis, so the treatment effects cannot be directly compared

For more information about the NNAP methodology, please see the NNAP Methodology and Statistical Analysis Plan, available at: https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/nnap-data-flow-methodology

You can access copies of previous NNAP annual reports, including the parent/carer guide ‘Your baby’s care’, via the NNAP web pages at:www.rcpch.ac.uk/nnap.

Yes, once you have chosen to view the annual summary results for any given network or unit via the Annual reports section of NNAP Online you will see an option for downloading a pdf report version of the results at the top left-hand side by clicking on the link titled "Download all data below as a PDF". You also have an option to download the results in a csv/excel format by clicking on the link titled "Download all data below as an excel workbook".

Please select the ‘unit poster’ tab within the blue column on the left-hand side of the page, select the year then your unit name from the drop-down list, then select ‘download PDF of poster’. Don’t forget to also download poster two.

In 2021, both unit and network level outlier analysis are conducted without shrinkage applied. Prior to 2020, the rates displayed in the unit funnel plot were shrinkage estimates. More information about the outlier methodology and management policy is available at www.rcpch.ac.uk/nnap-data-flow-methodology

Units or networks are arranged on the horizontal axis according to their caseloads, smallest at the left-hand margin and largest at the right-hand margin. The vertical axis shows the rate associated with the audit measure -- for most measures, higher rates indicate better performance. Each unit or network is represented by a single dot. The standard, or the overall rate, is indicated by a horizontal solid line. The two blue curves delimit the rates that can be expected for a unit (or network) whose performance is equal to this standard. A unit or network can use this graph to identify an opportunity for quality improvement. One way to do this is by finding a comparator unit or network that has performed much better and comparing the clinical and other practices in these two units (or networks).

Due to rounding of the data to the nearest whole number, there may be a shortfall in the total combined value displayed within the graphs of 1%, or in very rare situations 2%.

No, the results that are available to view in NNAP Online are of an aggregated unit, network, unit type and national level. Masking is applied to unit level results to reduce the risk of deductive disclosure of sensitive information. You can find out more about the information we use in the NNAP patient information and privacy notice, Your Baby’s Information, available at: www.rcpch.ac.uk/your-babys-information

Please contact the team via email at: nnap@rcpch.ac.uk or call the team on 0207 092 6158 or 020 3861 1910.

For more information about how we use information about babies experiencing neonatal care and their mothers, please see our privacy notice Your Baby’s Information, available at: www.rcpch.ac.uk/your-babys-information. You can also find out more about the NNAP data flow and methodology at: www.rcpch.ac.uk/nnap-data-flow-methodology.