Maternity Voices Partnership (MVP) – Main Meeting
Tuesday 26th March 2019, 10.00am – 12.00pm at CNet
Present: Liz Firth (Chair), Aliya Fazil (Bradford Doulas), Laila Ahmed (CNet), Yazmin Shah (CNet), Aamnah Rahman (Born in Bradford), Catherine Wallis (Hale Project), Victoria Simmons (CCG’s), Sarah Munsie (Airedale Hospital), Emma Fleary (BRI), Rachael Loftus (Action for Children), Alison Brown (Better Start Bradford), Masira Hans (Sharing Voices), Joanne Stubbs ( Specialist Midwife –BTHFT/ BRI ), Charlotte Dunster-Page (Little Minds Matter), Gemma Smith (Family Action),Judith Nevin (NCT BB Buddies), Rachel Dennis (National Care Trust); Abbie Wild ( Specialist Midwife- BTHFT /BRI )
Apologies: Sally Golightly, Sally Parkin, Wafaa Nawaz (INCIC), Gwen RB (Womens Zone), Rachel Wilde (Better Start Bradford), Sonia Fayyaz (BTHFT), Sara Hollins, Charlotte, Tilly Rathnell (Project6)
1. Welcome / Introductions/Apologies
All were welcomed. Apologies – see above
Liz started off by explaining the agenda would be looked at in the 2nd half of the meeting, the first part of the meeting members would start with mapping out what we would like to happen with the MVP/how to work in collaboration.
Victoria spoke about the Stroke Ambassador Program and made everyone aware that the there is an existing model which may be of use to the partnership when considering volunteering
2. Minutes of last meeting and matters arising
Agreed
3. Active Discussion Section – Engagement Strategy
An hour of the meeting was spent scoping out ideas for the MVP Engagement Strategy. Attendees were sat in small groups and shared ideas of how best the MVP should be engaging with service users. Catherine and Victoria also outlined the grassroots system to attendees.
Liz explained that there should be a continual process of the MVP collecting feedback through its activities and feeding these into Grassroots. It was agreed that we would have a Standing Item on each agenda to hear any key themes of trends reported to Grassroots.
Actions:
Yazmin to circulate workshop notes and circulate to members
Catherine Wallis to forward GR information/ to be circulated with minutes
4. Updates
Our two Maternity Service providers are asked to share with us an update at each meeting based on the following questions: What’s going well? What’s challenging? Anything you’d like some support with?
Bradford now has its 24hr triage unit up and running. They have already seen that staff are able to care for women much better, both in the unit and elsewhere in the Maternity unit. They know that they need to communicate this change to service to women and that there is now constant access to care out of hours that is separate to Labour ward.
Bradford have also developed a designated Induction suite on M3 with a dedicated staff team. There was some disappointment from attendees that women are still cared for in bays on a shared ward which it was agreed doesn’t necessarily help women relax and rest in the way that would be most conducive to women birthing well. Staff agreed but explained that the ideal space is not available currently and are pleased that a dedicated space and staff team have now been put in place.
Airedale have implemented a hospital midwife on call system which is freeing up the community midwives time. They’re happy with their current home birth rate of 2.5% (not necessarily amazing compared to other areas but great for Airedale). Happy to be offering family-centered care with side rooms available for extra privacy for families. There have been some changes to midwifery management roles recently which have brought in staff new to Airedale which has brought fresh eyes and ideas to the service. The varied parent education programme, including hypnobirthing, is free to all and gets great feedback. There is a specialist early intervention midwife who provides extended care to women with mental health and substance misuse concerns. Management and staff are working hard on Continuity of Carer model development, the concern currently is that any model they have considered requires more midwives than are currently available. In general recruitment is slow and there is a shortage of paediatric doctors.
Voluntary Sector Liz advised that whilst the Voluntary Sector Stakeholders Group had met, there was a number of apologies at the meeting, so there wasn’t a clear sense of any trends or patterns emerging from voluntary community sector partners. Liz suggested that at future meetings, in addition to feedback from voluntary community sector partners, it would be useful to have a report from Grassroots at this point and reflect on feedback.
Liz asked the members if there were any patterns they were seeing. If so could we bring together things we are seeing from grassroots too.
5. Feedback from the 5 themes
Breastfeeding – Alison Brown
Attends the Breastfeeding Networks, they are applying for funds required to purchase mothers and babies breast feeding magazines
The next meeting is at Airedale.
The key thing is that support for women continues to be an issue.
National Childbirth Trust are still delivering training.
Funding is required for mothers which they are not getting at the moment.
Infant Mortality – Ruth Hayward
Partnership work is overseen by every baby Matters Group, Duncan Cooper new lead recently
started in post.
November 2018 meeting the following priority areas were identified; genetic inheritance, smoking in pregnancy and nutrition of mothers and babies
Continuity of Care – Abbie Wild – BRI
Currently we are working with 4 main CoC pathways: Clover (BSB); Homebirth, Precious
Caesarean and Gold star.
Plans to commence more pathways in the near future including a Birth Centre model, Diabetic pathway, multiples pathway
Information leaflet for women being offered the previous CS pathway has been shared with the MVP for feedback
Perinatal Mental Health – Masira Hans
Priority regionally & nationally
More services launched
Lots of work
New launch in spring, anytime from March
Fathers Mental Health
Explaining to people to address self-care after 1 year
Support on miscarriages mothers and fathers
Focus on 2nd & 3rd child
Action: Liz to circulate to MVP members and suggestions from service users for a name for this pathway
Healthy Living – Laila Ahmed
This strand runs through all the other strands (nutrition in pregnancy, emotional health and wellbeing, smoking in pregnancy etc.)
Conversations with parents of young family’s highlight income as a main issue “show me how to feed my family on £55 per week”. For some individuals with asylum/ refugees, examples given of having £5 how to cook healthy on £5 per week until right to stay is established. Maha to come talk to us about stream of sanctuary work
Seldom Heard Groups – Liz Firth
Liz advised that hopefully the implementation of the Engagement Strategy and the regular feedback from Grassroots and Vol Sec Stakeholders will mean we have confidence in knowing what concerns our seldom heard groups have.
6. Sarah Bennett – Senior Midwife West Yorkshire & Harrogate Local Maternity System
Liz informed those present that Sarah was unable to attend this meeting but will attend the next meeting in June .
7. Member News
Aliya Fazil announced as Co-Chair for MVP
MVP website (based on Leeds template), another place we can get feedback
Focus day at Airedale (all on Induction) 11th April 9am – 4:30pm
8. AOB
Themes for next meeting
Perinatal Social Care Induction pathways
Social Media- Liz to set up twitter account, will share details if anyone wants to be involved
Health Watch campaigns (Looking out for your Neighbour) toolkits available for individuals
Sharing Voices Event 16th April 2019
Actions:
Contact Victoria for more kits
Flyer to be circulated
9. Date of future meetings 10:00 – 12:00 at CNET
Tuesday 25th June 2019 and Tuesday 26th November 2019
Thank you
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