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Covid-19: CHFT Response to Maternity Survey Findings – April 2021 Update

Your Feedback is being acted on

The years 2020 and 2021 have been tough for so many people and we all have our own experience of the Covid-19 pandemic. There have been times when we’ve all struggled – some more than others.

Covid-19 has brought about so many changes to the way in which maternity care has been delivered and in the middle of last year, the MVP partnered with local Maternity Service Providers, CCG’s, Public Health Teams and a couple of other MVPs to gather the views of those who had used maternity services during the start of the pandemic; March 2020 to August 2020. So many local people responded to the survey and we are grateful for all those who did.

Key findings from the survey can be found on page 6 of the Covid-19 Maternity Report:

Covid-19_Maternity_Report.pdf – Google Drive

As an MVP, we think it’s really important that we share with you how your feedback has been acted on as it’s important that you know just how much midwives here at Calderdale and Huddersfield Foundation Trust (CHFT) care for local women and families.

Please find below, a number of things that CHFT Maternity Services have recently done, and are doing in response to feedback that’s been gathered from the local Covid-19 Maternity survey:

 

1. Some women said they felt lost in the system and didn’t always know what to expect or who to contact.

  • When reviewing initial survey responses, CHFT contacted all women who hadn’t had contact from a midwife within the previous 4 weeks, and they are currently looking at ways in which to keep in more regular contact. Please note that the number of appointments haven’t been reduced during the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • CHFT have since set up a designated area on their website to share Covid-19 related information. Information was previously shared on their Better Births Facebook page but it was recognised that not everyone is on Social Media, and even if they were, information can soon become lost. Midwives are signposting women and families to the website as this is where the most upto date information is held. Maternity Services – CHFT (cht.nhs.uk)
  • CHFT have written letters to give to women at three touchpoints during their maternity journey. These letters contain lots of useful information, and can also be found on the CHFT website

 

2. The impact of restrictions placed on partners and other family members was a major area of concern and was commented on in relation to every element of care, in particular ultrasound appointments and postnatal care.

  • It is clear that nobody (including the Trust) want these restrictions in place, but the Trust are faced with trying to keep all women, babies, staff and limited visitors to the hospital safe – and they are doing what they believe is best to keep everyone safe. Maternity Services meet with the wider Trust every week, and it is here where they discuss visiting arrangements, and whether or not it’s safe to ease some of the restrictions that are in place. Over the last couple of months, changes have taken place, and restrictions have eased. For more information on the latest visiting arrangements, please visit the main CHFT maternity services webpage and navigate to the section titled ‘Update to maternity Visiting Arrangements’    https://www.cht.nhs.uk/…/clinical…/maternity-services/

 

3. A number of people fed back that phone appointments were impersonal and there were also reported instances of poor phone signals and too much background noise.

  • CHFT are looking to offer video appointments to those that want them.
  • Midwives have been asked to ensure that they’re in a good signal area if making phone calls from their mobiles.
  • Maternity Services are looking to move office phone lines to areas which are quieter.

 

4. Some women were unsure where to access antenatal information and for those who did their own internet searches – some were unsure as to whether information they were accessing was correct. Many would welcome the opportunity to have a class (albeit virtual) led by a local midwife.

  • CHFT are currently looking to develop some virtual antenatal classes are also looking to produce some informative videos for people to access.
  • Please take a look at information that already exists on the Maternity Services website: What’s on Maternity – Home (cht.nhs.uk)

 

5. Concerns for mental health and emotional-wellbeing for both women and partners was flagged in the survey responses.

  • CHFT continue to review the mental well-being of women, and midwives will continue to promote the Covid-19 worry line (0771 751 7563). They will also promote other local support, some of which can be found on the following web page; What’s on Maternity – Home (cht.nhs.uk)

 

6. Whilst analysing the covid maternity responses, it was clear that some groups were under-represented.

  • CHFT Maternity Services and the MVP (Maternity Voices Partnership) are part of a working group which are looking at existing health inequalities here within Calderdale and Huddersfield. We recognise the massive importance of engaging with all groups and communities who access local maternity services. Over this coming year, the MVP will look to build relationships with a diverse range of communities as it’s important that all women and families are given an opportunity to share their experiences and help shape our local maternity services. If you want to get involved with the Maternity Voices Partnership and/or have links with groups whose voices are seldom heard, please to get in touch with us. We would love to hear from you!  Please email us on [email protected]

 

It’s easy to focus on those things that could be improved – which is what everyone wants, but as we do this, we shouldn’t forget all the positive things that women and families shared in their survey responses. The word art below pulls out words that were used to describe local midwives and maternity services, and it’s only right that these are shared

Maternity Services are a huge part of the MVP and we are grateful for their openness and honesty.  We are in regular conversation, and as further developments/changes happen to services, these will be shared here on our website and our Facebook page.

 

 

Covid-19: Seeking Views from those using Maternity Services at CHFT

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, all NHS maternity services had to make changes to their service delivery in order to:

  • protect service users and their babies
  • to protect staff providing the services, and
  • to ensure continued provision of essential care as the wider NHS coped with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Maternity Voices Partnership (MVP) for Calderdale and Huddersfield along with a couple of other local MVPs, Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG), Local Authorities and the NHS wanted to understand the impact of the changes that were introduced in the first period of lockdown and local restrictions (March 2020-August 2020) on expectant and new parents and families. A joint survey was developed, and local engagement was launched in order to gather the views of those using local maternity services here at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust (CHFT) and Mid-Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust (MYHT).

The survey went live on 30 July 2020 and was open for 4 weeks. Survey responses were analysed and findings can be found in the report below.

Covid-19 Maternity Report

Following publication of this report, the MVP for Calderdale and Huddersfield will be working closely with Maternity Services at CHFT and we will help identify support any initiatives that arise from this feedback.

We are ever so grateful to all those who completed the survey and to Researchers at the University of Huddersfield who helped analyse the data – Thank you.

What we’ve been upto in 2019/20

We just want to share with you some of the things that the MVP for Calderdale and Huddersfield have been involved with over this past year, 2019/20:

1. MVP website has been built and is now live.

2. MVP leaflets are in the final stage of design and nearly ready for printing. Maternity Services have agreed to give each woman a leaflet at point of discharge and we’re hoping that they’ll also be available in women’s Maternity Online Notes.

3. New General MVP Maternity Survey is live and responses are being monitored and themes being pulled out.

4. Regular Service User Feedback & Action meetings have been established with CHFT Maternity Services which is where we discuss feedback gathered from our MVP survey. Actions are identified and tracked. Currently establishing a similar meeting with Health Visiting Teams.

5. Accessibility of Information. Using Service User feedback, individuals from the MVP pulled out different types of information that women and families would like to be made readily accessible. Discussions have taken place to see whether the CHFT Maternity Services web pages can be updated.

6. WY&H LMS Pregnancy and Birth Choices – We as an MVP have fed back our views with regards the potential use of a new app/website

7. New CHFT postnatal ward booklet – Members of the MVP provided comment on this, comments were taken on board and the booklet is now being used on ward 4a.

8. MVP members have had opportunities to comment on a number of other different leaflets and surveys in development

9. A leaflet by mums, for mums; Perineal Care after Childbirth – The MVP have provided comment on a new leaflet put together by the North Kirklees MVP. Will look to share with local women as their advice/ideas are shared on the leaflet

10. Signs by buzzers – Following feedback from the MVP, one of the postnatal ward matrons has now put signs up by buzzers, letting women know that they shouldn’t hesitate to buzz if they need any help/advice

11. First ’15 Steps for Maternity’ was recently conducted and we’re in the process of identifying actions with Maternity Services

If you’d like to get involved with the MVP, please do get in touch [email protected]

Thank You.

Being Part of the MVP

“After going through two very traumatic pregnancies and labours, and experiencing emotional difficulties throughout, I wanted to be part of helping other parents. I found becoming a parent to be a lonely experience and felt a great level of appreciation for the level of care and support from maternity services. There were ups and downs but I have so much admiration for the professionals that have been part of my journey.

 

Now I’m a mummy of two wonderful girls, I’m a volunteer supporting parents and I’m a part of the MVP for Calderdale and Huddersfield which is a group of diverse and friendly people committed to bettering the maternity journey for all future generations.”

 

Theresa