Issue - meetings
Scrunity Review: Maternity Services
Meeting: 08/01/2018 - Health & Adults Scrutiny Sub-Committee (Item 4)
4 SCRUTINY REVIEW: MATERNITY SERVICES PDF 85 KB
This paper submits an update on the
recommendations of the Health Scrutiny Sub-Committee’s Review
on Maternity Services which was undertaken in 2016
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The Committee heard a presentation from Alwen Williams, CEO Bart’s Health Trust and Kelly Jupp, Maternity Management Team at Bart’s Health.
Having heard a number of recommendations from the Health Scrutiny Committee eighteen months ago, a Maternity Partnership Board was set up to address the challenges. The Board made successes in five key areas, these were: safety, workforce, staff, partnership and staff wellbeing.
1. Ten secure doors have been installed and an electronic baby tag monitoring system has been introduced as well as an abduction policy implemented.
2. The recruitment web page has been revised to include maternity team direct contact information and promote live vacancies. There is a 94% fill rate, one midwife to twenty-eight patients and two labour ward co-ordinators have been recruited. Staff members are required to sign up to both day and night shifts.
3. Overnight stays for partners has been introduced.
4. There has been greater partnership work with Healthwatch Tower Hamlets and the voluntary sector via Social Action for Health maternity board.
5. Staff wellbeing initiatives have been introduced for midwifery team and wider support staff such as administrative workers.
With regard to the improvement plan, speakers were confident that the amber ratings will improve to green by March 2018.
The Chair opened the meeting to questions or comments from the Committee.
Dr Sam Everington, Chair of THCCG, thanked the team for their work. He said this was a fantastic turnaround given the pressures in a hospital setting.
The Chair said that she was very impressed with the report and was glad that things were moving in the right track.
Councillor Asad asked how Brexit might affect the employment of midwives. Lucie Butler, Director of Nursing, Midwifery & Governance responded that recruitment efforts were going well and they had not seen a negative impact as a result of Brexit as of yet. The CEO of Bart’s Trust informed the Committee of plans to recruit more apprentices.
David Burbidge asked if the newly installed secure doors affected people with disabilities. Speakers assured Mr Burbidge that the doors were accessible and visitors could rely on reception staff to provide support in opening the doors.
It was noted that the carbon monoxide quick kits were due to arrive shortly.
The Chair thanked the Maternity Team at Bart’s for their presentation.
RESOLVED
To note the report.