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A fully-funded PhD studentship is available in the Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester. Working under the supervision of Dr Natalie Armstrong, Senior Lecturer, SAPPHIRE Group<http://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/health-sciences/research/soc-sci> and Dr Lucy Smith, Senior Research Fellow, TIMMS Group<http://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/health-sciences/research/timms>, this exciting project represents an opportunity to advance knowledge on the issues underlying sub-optimal antenatal care. The aim is ultimately to better understand variations in care and identify potentially modifiable factors affecting service delivery. The studentship will last for 3 years (with an anticipated start in autumn 2016) and cover: (i) University full-time PhD Registration Fees at Home/EU rates (ii) Student Stipend starting at the RCUK rate £14,057 (to be adjusted for 2016/17) (iii) £1,500pa running costs/travel/conference allowance An outline of the project is given below - more information and details of how to apply can be found here<http://www2.le.ac.uk/colleges/medbiopsych/research/Postgraduate%20Opportunities/college-studentships-2016/college-funded-phd-scheme-october-2016-intake-cycle> (closing date 29th April 2016). Interested applicants are welcome to contact the supervisors informally prior to application ([log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> / [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>). How can we prevent avoidable stillbirths? Understanding the facilitators and barriers to the implementation of national clinical guidelines in antenatal care for reduced foetal movement This project seeks to identify facilitators and barriers to the successful implementation of national clinical guidelines on management of women presenting with reduced fetal movement in order to reduce avoidable stillbirths. Every day around three families are devastated by the death of their baby at term before labour begins. A recently published report on such deaths highlighted important failings in care which could have prevented them from happening. One important failing is the poor management of women who present to maternity units with concerns about their babies' movements. Half of the women who experienced a stillbirth had presented to maternity units with concerns about their babies' movements and failings in this aspect of care occurred in about half of cases, including not investigating, misinterpreting the fetal heart trace, and not responding to additional risk factors. Had these babies been delivered in the days prior to intrauterine death there would be every chance of the survival of a healthy infant and negligible risk associated with induction of labour for the woman. In seeking to tackle this problem, the project will use qualitative methods (a combination of periods of ethnographic observation on maternity units, interviews with both staff and parents, and reviews of local guidelines) to explore the management of women who present to maternity units with concerns about their babies' movements in order to: 1. Investigate how and why the failings in the management of care for women presenting with reduced fetal movement identified in the report may occur and; 2. Identify facilitators and barriers to the implementation of national clinical guidelines and strategies for improving care.