A review into a maternity unit where six babies died has called for improvements in training and better engagement with families.

The Scottish Government ordered Healthcare Improvement Scotland to carry out the review last year after families whose babies died during childbirth at Ayrshire Maternity Unit spoke out about their experiences.

Between 2008 and March 31 last year, there were four "significant adverse event reviews" concerning stillbirths at the unit at Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire.

A BBC investigation found there have been six so-called "unnecessary" deaths of babies at the hospital since 2008.

The most recent review found the maternity unit "circumvented deficiencies in the NHS board's adverse event management policy in order to maximise local clinical engagement in reviews".

Dr Tracey Johnston, chair of the independent review group, said: "In preparing this report, we heard from families devastated by the death of their baby around the time of birth and I thank them for having the strength to come and talk to us.

"Their narratives gave us insights we otherwise would not have had and strengthened the review by enabling us to explore specific areas with the staff at Ayrshire Maternity Unit."

She added there were "clearly lessons to be learned from this review, not just for NHS Ayrshire & Arran but for Scotland as a whole".

John Burns, chief executive of NHS Ayrshire and Arran, said: "Perinatal loss and stillbirth is a tragedy and I would like to offer my apologies to the families affected by and involved in this review.

"I also thank them for sharing their experiences with Healthcare Improvement Scotland. I appreciate how difficult it must have been for these families to revisit such painful and distressing memories."

He added the steps "demonstrate our commitment to ensuring the provision of a safe and caring maternity service" and stressed his "confidence in the safety of our maternity services and in the contribution that our staff make towards providing high-quality clinical care, governance and learning".