A dedicated midwifery team has been launched in Pelsall, which will give pregnant women and their families more personalised care.
The Continuity of Carer service, at Pelsall Village Centre, will comprise a team that will support mums-to-be throughout their pregnancy, at birth and into the early stages of parenthood.
Daren Fradgley, director of integration for Walsall Healthcare Trust, said: “We are so pleased to offer a more joined up and personal approach to mums at such an important milestone in their lives.
“It has many benefits, including more co-ordinated care with a single team, ensuring all the needs of a woman and her baby are met, less hospital appointments as care is delivered in the community wherever possible, reduction in miscarriages and pre-term births and more positive outcomes for women knowing they have someone they trust and feel comfortable with supporting them all the way through their pregnancy, birth and during those first special days and weeks.”
Continuity of Carer Model Helps Deliver Pregnancy Support In Walsall
The service has been introduced following recommendations from the 2016 National Better Births Review and builds on the success of a Continuity of Carer model, which was implemented by the Wyndlow Team at the Walsall Healthcare Trust midwifery-led unit.
The model has been shown to benefit mothers and babies, with national evidence revealing women who receive continuity of carer are: seven times more likely to be attended at birth by a known midwife; have fewer antenatal admissions and a shorter postnatal stay; are 16% less likely to lose their baby; and are 24% less likely to experience pre-term birth.
Hannah Platten, interim better births lead midwife, said: “We are really excited to be part of this new approach to caring for our pregnant ladies. One of the key elements of our job is to build a relationship with our moms to be so they feel able to talk to us about their pregnancy and birth choices and raise any concerns they have confidently.
“Continuity of care also means we have a more in-depth knowledge of their individual needs, so we can provide a personalised and holistic service and they don’t have to keep explaining their history to a different midwife every time they have an appointment. I am really proud of the dedication and enthusiasm shown by the Harmony Midwifery Team as we embark on this new way of working.”
Written by Jane Howarth.
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