Brighton and Hove Maternity Services Liaison Committee

Latest news from Brighton and Hove Maternity Services

brighton & hove maternity services liaison committee — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:46:15 +0000

We had a fantastic MSLC meeting yesterday with the Royal Sussex midwives who updated us on the following:

Refurbishment of the labour ward:
- the new pool room with ensuite loo/wet room is up and running.
- another birthing room with ensuite loo/wet room is also up and running.
- work continues to create ensuite facilities across the rest of the labour ward.

The new homebirth service:
- the new homebirth service launched last week with a dedicated homebirth team.
- in the 1st week, 10 women in Brighton and Hove birthed at home, almost as many as in the last month !
- the community and hospital midwives have already reported a huge boost in morale around home birth and are looking forward to promoting this choice to suitable women.

Everyone is expecting these developments to increase the normal birth rate – watch this space !

Changes…

brighton & hove maternity services liaison committee — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 13:40:50 +0000

At the end of January, we learnt that the Department of Health had awarded the Royal Sussex County Hospital £300,000 to upgrade the ensuite facilities on the labour ward. We are still waiting for an update on the exact timescale of this work. We’ll keep you posted.

But following on its heels, we are told, will be the plans to build the Brighton and Sussex Birth Centre on Level 11 of the Tower Block, expected to be open by the end of next year (2014). Again, we’ll update you as soon as we know.

We are also hoping to hear soon about the new home birth service for Brighton and Hove – with a target to cover 10% of all births across the City. This new service will be rolled out soon. Music to our ears.

Happy Christmas to all

brighton & hove maternity services liaison committee — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 11:57:22 +0000

A couple of things to read and watch before we sign off for Christmas.

A powerful article in last weekend’s Observer magazine:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/dec/16/mothers-fighting-against-birth-intervention

The film Freedom for Birth can be viewed at:

http://www.oneworldbirth.net/the-film/

Please circulate to your friends and colleagues. It tackles some vital issues that are impacting on maternity services everywhere.

Happy Christmas to all !

Another reason for investment in midwives

brighton & hove maternity services liaison committee — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 13:41:49 +0000

Breastfeeding saves the NHS money says UNICEF:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19992410

Good news ! Midwife numbers set in rise in Brighton and Hove.

brighton & hove maternity services liaison committee — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 12:22:13 +0000

At our MSLC meeting on Monday, the Head of Midwifery for Brighton and Sussex University Hospital Trust (BSUH) announced the approval of funding for 15 full time midwives: half now and half by April 2013. With interviews taking place this week, we should see an improvement in staffing numbers within the month.

She also talked about the plans for a new improved home birth service, staffed 24/7 by dedicated community midwives. BSUH have set a target: they want to see 10% of all births in our area taking place at home (we are currently at 4%, down from 7% two years ago).

A full refurbishment of the maternity unit of Levels 12 and 13 is also scheduled, with improved en suite facilities to support normal birth for all women, even those deemed high risk. The commitment to the Birth Centre is as strong as ever.

So much good news from one meeting is difficult to absorb. Following years of sustained user pressure and a good twelve months of serious planning from the senior midwifery team, it looks like Brighton and Hove’s maternity services are about to move into the 21st century. Well done to all involved.

But we are not there yet. Brighton and Hove MSLC will keep the pressure on…and keep you informed !

Freedom for Birth: a global revolution sparked in Brighton

brighton & hove maternity services liaison committee — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 11:15:35 +0000

Around the world over the next 24 hours, over 1000 screenings will take place of a campaigning film by Brighton based organisation One World Birth. Freedom for Birth re-frames choices in childbirth as a human-rights issue, featuring the case of a Hungarian home-birthing mother who challenged the laws against midwifery and home-birth in her country – and won !

Screenings in the Brighton area tonight (Thursday 20th September 2012) :

Eagle Pub, Gloucester Road, Brighton at 7pm

Mumababy Sanctuary, 32 Cliffe High Street, Lewes at 7.30pm

365 Ditchling Road, Brighton at 8pm

There’s a petition to sign: http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/amnesty-international-europe-amnesty-international-to-save-persecuted-midwives-in-europe

For more information, have a look at their website: http://www.freedomforbirth.com/

Andrew Lansley at yesterday’s APPG maternity awards at the House of Commons

brighton & hove maternity services liaison committee — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 13:11:30 +0000

Andrew Lansley spoke yesterday about his government’s continued commitment to the enhanced Health Visitors programme as well as training 5000 more midwives and the ‘named midwife’ initiative: http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/may/16/mothers-named-midwife-postnatal-depression

Good news – if it happens. And if it DOES happen, we could see major improvements to women’s (and their partner’s) experiences of maternity care.

I also met the fabulous Vicky Garner who runs a new website The Birth I Want: http://www.thebirthiwant.org.uk. Have a look and share your stories and expectations of pregnancy and birth that could influence the decision makers in government.

NHS Maternity Service awards

brighton & hove maternity services liaison committee — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 10:23:15 +0000

Brighton and Hove MSLC will be represented today at the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) Maternity awards at the House of Lords. Innovation and expertise within the NHS maternity services will be rewarded – although this year our hospital trust Brighton and Sussex University Hospital Trust (BSUH) was not shortlisted. Maybe next year ? When we have our birth centre ?!? The Secretary of State for Health Andrew Lansley will be there – I’m hoping he’ll have to something to say about his pledge for 5000 more midwives and a ‘named’ midwife for every woman. Will keep you posted. H x

Positive birth stories

brighton & hove maternity services liaison committee — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 08:47:53 +0000

As chair of the MSLC, I listen to women who want to share their birth story – and pass their feedback on to the providers and commissioners of the NHS services. Every birth story is full of highs and lows, some are traumatic, others pure joy. All reflect the right of passage that leads to motherhood. Pregnant women and their partners learn about birth from others’ stories – and can feel inundated with ‘horror stories’. This trend is being reversed by a new website celebrating positive stories of birth - tellmeagoodbirthstory.com. If you had a positive birth, sign up to be a birth buddy and help inspire confidence in others. We can do it ! Hannah x

I’ve become a tardy blogger !

brighton & hove maternity services liaison committee — Tue, 15 May 2012 08:51:52 +0000

My last blog as MSLC chair was – oh no ! – the end of March. Such tardiness is inexclusable. But then I realise – in these last six weeks, I’ve been in meeting after meeting with MSLC members discussing the current situation with maternity services in Brighton and Hove (staffing issues continue, home birth rates falling but so at last is c-section). There have also been numerous meetings around the bigger Sussex -wide picture (we need a birth centre !!!). Each meeting throws up a bigger to-do list, more issues to tackle. With so much on the MSLC plate, I’m currently collating a list of priorities for the next twelve months. If you live in Brighton and Hove, let me know what your priorities are. If you’re outside our area, what would your priorities be for improving your local maternity services ? Email me directly on hannah@sherlockassociates.com or post a comment here.