Maternity and you: experiences of using maternity services in Bolton

Healthwatch Bolton embarked on this project after receiving feedback from the community about experiences of maternity care in Bolton. Feedback received was predominantly negative, with some birthing people reporting their dissatisfaction with their experiences.

They launched an online survey and undertook community engagement with groups and individuals in Bolton. Overall they reached 65 people.

Ante-natal – for respondents who answered the questions, the majority did attend ante-natal appointments and said they were given the opportunity to discuss what was important to them. Regarding the booking of appointments, there were mixed responses to this question, with some people having no issues at all, to some having a few struggles getting through by telephone and finding a suitable appointment date. 

Regarding the quality of information from health professionals, again, there were mixed responses with some people feeling they did not have enough information. The majority of respondents felt it was important to see the same midwife throughout their pregnancy. Respondents also reported how important the role of the midwife was when they needed help and information about their pregnancy. Most people were able to get the information they needed easily, and navigation of the website was easy. 

Some used the 24-hour maternity triage line which seemed to work well mostly, however other people reported struggles getting through on the phone. Some people reported issues with contacting the community midwives by phone and there not being an answer service for this. Comments were also made about staff being overworked and ‘pregnancy’ leaflets not being accessible and some information not being accessible. There was also a request for more information being made available online. 

Other comments about ante-natal experience include – there should be more consistency of midwives, some people reported they did not see the same midwife. Some people reported long waiting times to have tests and procedures done with some people being very unhappy with the service, to those having an excellent experience. 

Labour and Birth – When asked how comfortable and reassured they felt during labour – people had mixed responses to this question. Some reported on positive experiences with feeling well looked after and supported. Some responded negatively saying they were left for long periods on their own, some without being given any pain relief and one birthing person on the verge of giving birth on her own without any midwives present, to one birthing person giving birth in a corridor. People also commented that the staff were rushing and were over-worked, and the unit was very busy. 

During labour and birth the majority of respondents said they could get a member of staff to attend to them when they needed it. 34% of respondents said they were left alone during labour and birth which concerned them, with 66% saying they had no concerns. Some of the comments are negative and relate to being left alone without adequate pain relief. 

Regarding raising concerns, the majority of respondents felt they could do this and that it was taken seriously. The majority of respondents were communicated to in a language they could understand, however there were also a couple of negative comments. The majority of respondents did feel they were involved in decisions about their care. Some commented that they felt all decisions were made with their consent, however some people felt they were not being listened to and decisions were being made for them. The majority of people said they had confidence in the staff looking after them, but some reported differences in care between the labour ward and post-natal ward. 

Induction of Labour – the majority of respondents felt they had enough information about what was happening when their labour was induced. However, some did comment that they did not have enough information or communication as to what was happening and when they might give birth. When asked to share any other experiences about labour and birth – many respondents shared negative experiences. Some were associated with long waits from being induced to giving birth and then some being rushed in as an emergency after being left so long. 

Post-natal - People reported the post-natal ward being c amped and unwelcoming, with some people reporting negative attitudes from midwives. Many people said there was a shortage of staff and midwives seemed overworked. People also reported not receiving pain relief when they needed it, and not receiving any support or advice. Many people praised the midwives and clinical staff; however some did say that their experiences would have been better if they had seen the same midwife throughout their pregnancy.