Maternity Matters: Discovering experiences of maternity services
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Wessex Voices (Healthwatch Dorset, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton) was commissioned to carry out engagement with women and their birthing partners. Healthwatch Hampshire was asked to undertake this on behalf of the project. They, alongside the LMS, created a survey with midwives and service managers to look at experiences of women and their birthing partners around pregnancy, birth and the first 10 days after birth. The link to the on-line survey was shared widely across the region with other Healthwatches and promoted via Facebook and Twitter. Healthwatch Hampshire Engagement Officers and volunteers attended nine Child Health Clinics run by Health Visiting Teams across the county, as this was seen as the most likely place to engage parents of babies under 1 year old. In total 1215 responses from mothers and 63 responses from birth partners were recorded, and the results will be used to inform future decisions about maternity services.
Most women were very thankful for the support they had received from all healthcare professionals. Many women recognise the pressures faced by the NHS and the amount of effort that staff go to, to make their experiences as smooth and stress free as possible. Despite this, there are a number of clear areas that have been highlighted where women tend to have shared experiences that require improvement. Key findings include:
- 75% said they gave birth in the place or setting they planned to.
- 42% said they saw the same midwife throughout their pregnancy.
- 91% said they often or sometimes used the internet to find extra information about their pregnancy,
- 83% of women felt that health professionals were aware of their wishes and were supportive throughout their pregnancy.
- 74% felt they had enough support during the first 10 days after birth.
Recommendations made included:
- Provide clear and easy access to information and support at all times.
- Clear communication at referral, particularly for referrals related to raised BMI.
- Ensure all communication is open and transparent, particularly when discussing birth plans and options.
- Ensure that women have access to a consistent service at times that suit them.
- Provide appropriate information after birth.