New Sleaford and Skegness midwife teams to provide personalised care for pregnant women in Lincolnshire

Lincolnshire’s hospitals are finding new ways of working to make sure that women receive the most personalised maternity care possible.

Maternity teams at United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust are introducing a new way of working in line with the National Maternity Review: Better Births 2016. This sets out a vision for maternity services in England which are safe and personalised. The heart of the vision is the idea that women should have continuity of the person looking after them throughout their maternity journey; before, during and after birth.

A team of seven midwives in the Gainsborough area began the Continuity of Carer pilot in April 2019 to provide care to women throughout the whole pregnancy journey, from antenatal care to postnatal care, as well as having a midwife on call during the day and night to provide care during labour. They are called the COCOs team.

Following the success of the Gainsborough pilot, the new way of working will be rolled out across Sleaford, Skegness and Lincoln during the coming months, with the south of the county joining in with the scheme later.

The aim is for every woman who registers their pregnancy in Lincolnshire to have a named midwife who will co-ordinate her care; and she will be given the opportunity during her pregnancy to meet the rest of the team so that at the time of the birth she will see a familiar face.

Community Midwife Helen Shepherd said: "This has been such an important and exciting pilot for our women in Lincolnshire. It means we can spend as much time as possible building relationships with the woman and her family, giving support and advice and helping them make the right choices for them.”

Continuity of Carer has shown to have benefits, including reduced anxiety and stress for the woman and reduced risks of miscarriage. Women on this pathway often feel more able to confide in their individual midwife, enabling the midwife to better identify any problems with the pregnancy. Additionally, there is less missed care, as the midwife is proactive in ensuring missed appointments are rescheduled, and the women get the level of care they require.

Evidence also shows that women who have a midwife that they know in labour are less likely to need interventions during their pregnancy and birth and are more likely to be satisfied with their care.

Along with NHS England, ULHT and the Lincolnshire Maternity System (LMS) submitted a target of reaching five per cent of pregnant women. The team reached seven per cent of women.

Helen said: “Initial feedback from the women we have seen has been really positive. There has also been great team working and a definite increase in staff morale. Not only is it great for the women, it also provides more opportunities and flexibility to staff.”