Maternity listening project
Download (PDF 519.89 KB)Summary of report content
From February to June 2015 the engagement team at Healthwatch West Sussex visited 8 parent and baby/toddler groups to hear what parents and carers had to say about local maternity services. The listening project was devised so local voices could inform the national NHS England focus on Maternity and local commissioning. The report includes many personal stories and experiences from different parents who have had a baby in the last two years.
After speaking to 285 parents it was clear while many parents had a fantastic birthing experience, many others are still traumatised by their experience and felt there were things that could have gone better.
The drive towards personalised care is an important one for maternity support and it is clear from parents that one-size support does not work for them.
Parents shared their issues with the hospital environment that affected their experience, from basic things like hospitals not having enough pillows to issues such as the wards being too hot.
Parents expressed the frustration and cost of travelling to see a midwife at The Gattons Children and Family Centre (Burgess Hill) since there was none available at the other children centres.
Healthwatch intend to discuss with providers and commissioners how each will use the accounts within this report to enhance their work and practice and intends to follow-up with providers on individual recommendations. We will discuss the report content with the Mid Sussex Maternity Services Liaison Committee to see how this can influence the development of service provision.
An update to the findings of this report on how services and individuals have used this information should be ready for publication in October 2015.