Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists | RCOG’s Post

🌟 Enhancing Equity in Maternity and Neonatal Services 🌟 I recently led a session for maternity staff focused on promoting equity in maternity and neonatal care. The session highlighted the importance of evidence-based personalised care, especially for women from Black, Asian, and mixed backgrounds. Key takeaways included understanding the multifaceted causes of health disparities, such as socio-economic factors and language barriers, and the need for self-awareness of personal biases among healthcare practitioners. The NHS England's Three Year Plan aims to address these disparities by prioritising compassionate family engagement, workforce support, and a culture of safety and learning. Proportionate universalism was emphasised as a strategy to balance universal and targeted services based on need. To ensure equitable care, practitioners are encouraged to acknowledge ethnicity-related risks, conduct thorough risk assessments, and maintain a lower threshold for reviews. The session also underscored the importance of clear communication and encouraging questions to foster understanding and trust. Together, we can work towards more equitable and personalised maternity care for all. 🤝 #HealthcareEquity #MaternityCare #NHS #PersonalisedCare Other important points to consider : If someone is difficult to understand or has a strong accent consider NHS England Equity and equality: Guidance for local maternity systems.

📣 We have now published the refreshed version of the Digital Maternity Record Standard to reflect improvements being made to maternity and perinatal care in line with the priorities outlined in NHS England’s three-year delivery plan for maternity and neonatal services. It is designed to improve safety and effectiveness in maternity care by making sure health and care records are shareable across different IT systems and healthcare providers. The standard has been published as the final draft pending endorsement. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/e3-kt55X #maternity #maternitycare #perinatal #prenatal #neonatal #digitalrecords #healthrecords

Want to find out more about BadgerNet Maternity? Watch our maternity webinar recording today! We heard from Shereen Bryan, Senior Clinical Transformation Specialist, and Gayle Thompson, Digital Midwife from Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust🦡 Watch the webinar below!👇 https://bit.ly/4bMYY3g #ConnectingCare #BadgerNet #BadgerNetMaternity #SinglePregnancyRecord

When we are done with conversations around awareness raising — folks will realize solutions are complex. There is NO simple fix to the maternity care crises. It will take intentional work to dismantle the culture of harm. The answer is not a doula or midwife for every person, nor is the solution producing more nurses and physicians. The answer lies in how we address deeply rooted beliefs, biases and equity. Specifically related to maternity care — a few musts from my lens: Assure coordination and care delivery of low to high risk perinatal services regardless of where one lives. Provide resources and smooth transitions for those that choose community birth. Enact consequences when disrespectful care is rendered. Highly invest in needs of historically marginalized communities. Protect all reproductive healthcare options. And incorporate anti-racist pedagogy in the training of healthcare professionals. If you work in a setting that delivers maternity care services speak out about what more must be done. Partner with community-based organizations and LISTEN. You will hear answers that can be implemented to save lives and improve outcomes. And if you want to be inspired we aim to bring motivation paired with actionable steps. #GrowMidwives

2024 was the year we proved that transforming maternal healthcare requires both courageous leadership and collective action. As the first South Asian Maternal Health Conference unfolded at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, I realized our work isn't just about individual achievements – it's about creating systemic change that ensures every woman receives equitable, compassionate care. Moments that crystallized this journey: CNO CMidO BAME SAG Award: Recognized at the House of Commons for committed service, this award wasn't just personal validation but a platform to amplify the voices of marginalized healthcare professionals. https://lnkd.in/ensdPCZe Florence Nightingale Foundation Scholar Award: This scholarship transformed my leadership approach, providing tools to challenge existing healthcare narratives and create meaningful pathways for change. https://lnkd.in/eeP4GyW9 Being part of the first South Asian Maternal Health Conference: History in the making. Bringing together experts, advocates, and lived experiences to address critical health disparities faced by South Asian women. HSJ Recognition" - Named among the 50 most influential BAME people in health, highlighting how diaspora organisations are having impact in healthcare services. Through the Association of South Asian Midwives Association of South Asian Midwives C.I.C. we've expanded beyond discussion into action. Leading equity initiatives and participating in crucial conferences, and creating platforms that empower midwives from marginalised communities. 2025 isn't just another year – it's an opportunity to accelerate our momentum. We'll continue dismantling systemic barriers, amplifying underrepresented voices, and ensuring that maternal healthcare reflects the true diversity of our communities. To my incredible colleagues friends and my tribe , our collective effort drives real transformation and change . #LinkedInRewind #Coauthor #2024wrapped

🚨 New Neonatal Leave and Pay Rights Confirmed for April 2025 🚨 The government has officially confirmed that, starting 6th April 2025, working parents with babies in neonatal care will have a day-one right to Neonatal Care Leave. This follows the passing of the Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act in 2023. 👶 Who is eligible? ✅ Parents of babies admitted to neonatal care within 28 days of birth ✅ Babies who require at least 7 consecutive days in hospital 📅 What does this mean for parents? ✔️ Up to 12 additional weeks of leave (on top of maternity/paternity leave) ✔️ Statutory Neonatal Care Pay for those meeting service and earnings criteria Regulations to implement these changes have been laid before Parliament and, subject to approval, will take effect from April 2025. A huge step forward in supporting families during such a critical time! 💙 #BSHR #HRConsultancy #NeonatalCare #ParentalRights #WorkingParents #Yorkshire

The 2024 NHS England Maternity Survey, coordinated by Picker, highlights ongoing issues in key areas of maternity care despite some improvements. 📊 Key findings include: 🟣Only 53% of respondents felt their midwives or doctors were always aware of their medical history during antenatal check-ups. 🔵Just 59% of those induced felt fully involved in the decision. 🟣Only 54% reported always being able to get help from staff postnatally. Jenny King, Chief Research Officer at Picker, emphasises the need for continued efforts to ensure safe, high-quality, person centred care for all maternity service users. 👉 Read the full press release here: bit.ly/2024MaternitySurvey #MaternityCare #HealthcareQuality #NHS #PickerSurveys #PatientExperience #PickerInsights #PersonCentredCare #CQC

Nottingham maternity services introduces CardMedic - Digital Health Nottingham Maternity Services Introduces CardMedic #Introduction Nottingham Maternity Services has recently introduced a new digital tool called CardMedic to improve communication with patients. #What is CardMedic? CardMedic is a digital platform that provides pre-written messages and phrases to facilitate communication between healthcare providers and patients. #How Does CardMedic Work? Healthcare providers can use CardMedic to select appropriate messages and show them to patients on a tablet or smartphone, reducing the need for verbal communication. #Benefits of Using CardMedic CardMedic can help overcome language barriers, improve communication with patients who are deaf or hard of hearing, and enhance the overall patient experience. #Implementation at Nottingham Maternity Services Not ai.mediformatica.com #nottingham #cardmedic #maternity #health #clinical #patients #communication #healthcare #neonatal #staff #digital #hospitals #digitalhealth #healthit #healthtech #healthcaretechnology @MediFormatica (https://buff.ly/3TQM5x2)

Did you know that in Kenya, midwives are being trained to perform life-saving ultrasound screenings thanks to Philips Foundation? To mark 10 years of improving healthcare access for underserved communities, I’m proud to share this inspiring initiative. In partnership with Aga Khan University and Amref International University (AMIU), Philips Foundation is empowering midwives to provide essential antenatal care in remote areas, ensuring that more pregnant women have access to the healthcare they need. As Margot Cooijmans, Director of Philips Foundation, says: "Together, we can be a force for change, bringing people together to improve healthcare access worldwide." It’s incredible to see how innovation and collaboration are transforming lives. Here’s to continuing our mission of providing quality healthcare for 100 million people annually by 2030! Read more about our journey: https://lnkd.in/gP7bCvAS #DecadeOfImpact #HealthForAll

Did you know that in Kenya, midwives are being trained to perform life-saving ultrasound screenings thanks to Philips Foundation? To mark 10 years of improving healthcare access for underserved communities, I’m proud to share this inspiring initiative. In partnership with Aga Khan University and Amref International University (AMIU), Philips Foundation is empowering midwives to provide essential antenatal care in remote areas, ensuring that more pregnant women have access to the healthcare they need. As Margot Cooijmans, Director of Philips Foundation, says: "Together, we can be a force for change, bringing people together to improve healthcare access worldwide." It’s incredible to see how innovation and collaboration are transforming lives. Here’s to continuing our mission of providing quality healthcare for 100 million people annually by 2030! Read more about our journey: https://lnkd.in/ea_TtfGh #DecadeOfImpact #HealthForAll