MUMS-TO-BE in south Warwickshire are getting the best treatment in the country – and that’s official.
Midwives at South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust (SWFT) have scooped a national award for offering new mums more choice and improved care.
They won the Royal College of Midwives Midwifery Service of the Year Award after an overhaul of maternity services to offer women even better and more personalised care.
This included an increase in staff working in the community and the opening of a midwife-led unit at Warwick Hospital in the summer of 2018.
The unit – which includes four birthing rooms, each with a pool and a double bed – was created to offer expectant mums across south Warwickshire and the surrounding areas a more homely environment to bring their babies into the world.
SWFT continues to provide a Consultant Obstetric Unit from the Lakin Road hospital, along with the option to give birth at home.
The changes have led to more women having continuity of care, meaning they see one midwife or a small team of midwives throughout their pregnancy.
Gill Walton, chief executive of the Royal College of Midwives, said: “Maternity services should be based around the needs of the women they care for and this is a wonderful example of a service doing just that.
“The midwifery team at south Warwickshire had a vision for their services and they have pulled together to make it a reality. By wrapping care around women, they have had a really positive impact, as shown by the feedback they’ve received, and there is no better seal of approval than that.”
Among other initiatives the team set up include local forums for the community to offer feedback on the service.
They have also added two more satellite clinics in rural areas in response to the forums, and there are plans to expand community services even further.
And to support women during the Covid-19 pandemic, the trust has also provided care and support via social media. Setting up dedicated and secure Facebook groups for pregnant women has helped reduce pregnancy related anxieties by being able to provide regular and timely updates, as well as offering a platform for mum to mum support.
SWFT midwifery head Sarah Noble said: “I am delighted that we have won this award, it is fantastic recognition for how well our teams have embraced this new way of providing maternity care.
“In south Warwickshire, we are all very passionate about putting women at the centre of their pregnancy journey and being able to provide personalised, holistic care.
“Continuity of care leads to better outcomes for both mums and babies by empowering women to feel more in control of their pregnancy.”
