We are delighted that our Preterm Midwifery Team has been shortlisted for Maternity and Midwifery Initiative of the Year at this year’s HSJ Patient Safety Awards!
The Preterm Midwifery Team was formed in 2022 with the aim of improving care for those at high risk of giving birth prematurely and improving outcomes for babies born prematurely (before 37 weeks).
They have been shortlisted for the award for their improvement work which includes:
- Increasing early access to maternal breast milk through widescale provision of expressing packs, equipment and education to improve neonatal outcomes
- Increasing screening for chlamydia and gonorrhoea in early pregnancy by 71% – these sexually transmitted infections are known risk factors for preterm birth
- Creating a national network of preterm birth midwives from over 30 NHS Trusts to share best practice across maternity services. Midwives from other areas regularly visit Leeds to shadow the team and observe the care provided.
- Developing a midwife led clinic including antenatal and postnatal (before and after birth) pathways
- Visiting inpatient wards to support those in preterm labour, threatened preterm labour or having a planned preterm birth to provide advice on preparing for the birth of a neonatal baby
The team includes two midwives and a maternity support worker who work across the maternity units at St James’s Hospital and Leeds General Infirmary. They work collaboratively with specialist obstetricians, neonatal teams, perinatal mental health teams and other specialist maternity services.
Leeds is a tertiary referral centre which means that those with high-risk pregnancies are referred from across West Yorkshire and beyond. The team play an important role in providing a personalised approach to care that also addresses the mental health and support needs of this group of patients.
The HSJ Patient Safety Awards acknowledges the hard-working teams and individuals across the UK who are continually striving to deliver improved patient care.
Good luck to the Preterm Midwifery Team at the official awards ceremony which is being held in Manchester on September 18th!