Child health experts are working together to try to reduce the risk of disabilities in premature babies.

Details of the work being pioneered in the Bath area are to be presented to a public meeting of health care provider Sirona Care & Health's board next Thursday.

Around 30 babies a year are born at the Royal United Hospital at least ten weeks early.

While many do not have any difficulties as they grow, some will develop more slowly or have health problems, and now a specialist team is trying to spot signs of trouble earlier so they can be minimised.

The Sirona neurodevelopment team will be talking in public for the first time about its work at the meeting at 1pm at St Luke's Church Hall, Hatfield Road, Bath.

Consultant neurodevelopment paediatrician Dr Kate Martin said: "We believe early intervention can have a significant benefit on their development and by working together as a team we hope to spot early signs and give the babies and their families help earlier. We also hope to give reassurance to many families that their baby is developing typically."

The team start when a baby is just a week old by filming his or her movements and the process is repeated just before the baby is discharged from the neonatal unit.

They also run a multi-specialism clinic and have developed a host of assessments over the past four years.