OH NLS Out of Hospital Neonatal Life Support - (RCUK)

Each year, thousands of babies are born outside the hospital setting, sometimes by choice, sometimes unexpectedly. In 2023, over 10,000 births occurred at home in England and Wales alone. For healthcare professionals working in these environments, supporting a newborn who needs resuscitation can be a rare but critical event.

OH-NLS was developed in direct response to a clearly identified training gap. National bodies, including the Maternity and Neonatal Safety Improvement Programme (MNSI), have highlighted the need for improved and standardised training for those attending births in out-of-hospital settings.

Whether attending a planned homebirth or responding to an unplanned delivery in the community, OH-NLS provides structured, evidence-based training to equip clinicians with the skills needed to support the transition to extrauterine life and initiate newborn resuscitation when required.

Launched in 2025, OH-NLS focuses on the practical realities of delivering newborn life support in out-of-hospital environments. Course content includes:

• Recognition of babies requiring support at birth.

• Effective thermal control strategies in low-resource environments.

• Airway management and ventilation techniques using pre-hospital equipment.

• Coordination and communication in flash teams.

• Preparation and decision-making for safe neonatal transport.

Content is delivered through a mix of lectures, practical skill stations, and realistic simulations that mirror the challenges encountered in non-hospital births.

Who is the course for?

OH-NLS is designed for professionals who are likely to be present at births outside hospital settings, including:

• Ambulance clinicians and HEMS teams.

• Homebirth and community midwives, including those in continuity of care models.

• Midwives working in standalone midwifery-led units (MLUs).

• Clinical educators who support the training of pre-hospital and community maternity teams in newborn care.

All applicants must hold a professional healthcare qualification or be in training for a professional healthcare qualification.

The OH-NLS course is suitable for both first-time candidates and those seeking to renew their OH-NLS certification.