Enter and view: Blackburn Birth Centre
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Healthwatch Blackburn with Darwen undertook an announced enter and view visit to the Blackburn Birth Centre on 22 March 2024. This was part of a sider programme of work with four other Healthwatch to assess the quality of local maternity and neonatal services. They spoke to 4 patients and 5 staff.
Blackburn Birth Centre is very accessible unit on Park Lee Road. The centre is bright, clean, and welcoming, with friendly staff, creating a calm and relaxing environment in the centre.
The signage at the entrance to the Centre could be clearer as it is silver against brick, which may not be easy to ready for those with visual impairments.
The waiting room and birthing rooms are comfortable, bright and inviting, with the birthing rooms having access to a garden to sit in. The rooms were decorated with butterflies and other little touches to make them feel less clinical and enhance the comfort for all patients. The waiting room has seats organised in a circle to encourage conversation, with enough seating.
Blackburn Birth Centre has a dedicated Facebook page with a good following, patients are encouraged to share their experiences of the centre onto social media. Which could be a good example for other centres to look into as a means of promoting to local residents.
Representatives were informed that last year there were 141 births at the centre. From speaking with patients and staff, the feedback was very positive. Staff felt that they all worked well as a team and supported one another and patients felt that the staff were friendly and caring.
Patients had some negative feedback around the Badger app and GP communication around postnatal care. Some staff members also spoke of a disconnect between GP and maternity care.
When asked if there was enough staff in the centre, some staff members spoke of the need for more midwives in the centre. Similarly, there was feedback from staff about the length of appointments needing to be slightly longer to be able to fit in all necessary conversations with patients and we understand that this is being looked into by the Trust.