STILLBIRTHS and neonatal deaths at the hospital trust running the Alexandra Hospital were more than 10 per cent higher than the national average, a new report has claimed.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the Alex and the Worcestershire Royal Hospital, is one of 21 across the UK labelled 'red' for perinatal mortality rates, suggesting Worcestershire families may be the losers in an NHS postcode lottery.

Hospital trusts with perinatal mortality rates more than 10 per cent higher than the national average have been identified in the new Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquires (MBRRACE) report.

A study was carried out by the University of Leicester between January and December 2015, while maternity services at the Alex were transferred to Worcestershire Royal Hospital in November that year.

The unit was closed over claims from Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust that the Woodrow Drive hospital didn't have enough staff to operate it safely.

Experts behind the report came up with a traffic light system to grade the severity of the trusts' situations. The authors have called on them to investigate possible causes behind the higher rates.

Researchers said 54 organisations fell into the amber category, with a mortality rate up to 10 per cent higher than average, while 78 were in the yellow category, meaning their rate was up to 10 per cent lower. Twelve were green, indicating rates more than 10 per cent lower than the standard for their group.

Dr Brad Manktelow, associate professor at Leicester, said: "Those trusts and health boards identified with high rates of stillbirth or neonatal death rates should review the quality of the care they provide."

A spokesperson for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust responded: "All perinatal deaths at the trust undergo a full case review at the time and actions are implemented as required.

"The annual MBRRACE report enables us to benchmark ourselves against other organisations and carry out a further retrospective review of all deaths.

"As a trust we are committed to implementing the national Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle which aims to reduce the number of stillbirths by 20 per cent by 2020."

Overall, researchers found the rate of stillbirth across the UK reduced by 8 per cent between 2013 and 2015. The stillbirth rate was 3.87 per 1,000 total births - a fall from 4.2 per 1,000 total births in 2013.