Maternity services at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have received positive feedback in an annual, national survey for 2018; demonstrating significant improvements from the year prior.
The National Picker Maternity Survey 2018 is aimed at women, aged 16 years or over who gave birth at the hospitals in February 2018. The purpose of the survey is to understand what women think of the care they have received ranging from antenatal care, labour and birth, and postnatal care.
The results received for Lancashire Teaching Hospitals demonstrate a significant improved position for maternity services compared to the last national Picker survey and also the one prior to that. Lancashire Teaching Hospitals ranked 12th out of 69 hospitals nationally. This is compared to the 2017 survey where the hospitals ranked 36th out of 68 surveyed; a huge improvement.
The maternity services at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals ranked significantly better than the last survey on the following 3 statements in particular:
1. Treated with respect and dignity – 98%
2. Had confidence and trust in staff – 100%
3. Involved enough in decisions about their care – 96%
When comparing the average results received across all other hospitals; Lancashire Teaching Hospitals ranked best in the following areas:
1. Found partner was able to stay with them as long as they wanted – 88%
2. Given a choice about where to have check-ups – 57%
3. Received support or advice about feeding their baby during evenings, nights or weekends – 87%
4. Saw the midwife as much as they wanted – 83%
5. Offered a choice of where to have baby – 97%
And when looking at the most improved areas from the previous 2017 survey; these were:
1. Offered a choice of where to have baby – 97%
2. Given the help needed by midwives – 99%
3. Felt that they were given appropriate advice and support at the start of labour – 95%
4. Had confidence and trust in staff – 100%
5. Found partner was able to stay with them as long as they wanted – 88%
A total of 300 mothers from Lancashire Teaching Hospitals were sent a questionnaire. Of these individuals; 292 mothers were eligible for the survey, of which 112 returned a completed questionnaire, giving a response rate of 38%. The average response rate for the 69 ‘Picker’ organisations was 36%.
Notable positive feedback for the services included being offered a choice of where to have the baby, being given the help they needed by midwives, having their partner able to stay with them as long as they wanted, being able to see the midwife as much as they wanted, and receiving support or advice about feeding their baby during evenings and weekends.
Cathy Atherton, Head of Midwifery at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals, said: “We are really pleased with the results that we have received from the Picker survey this year. This is a positive reflection of the leadership and teamwork within our maternity services and the improvement work that our teams are progressing with which is having a positive impact on women and their families.”
“We were very pleased to have received notable recognition for the department; including being awarded Beacon status for our Birth Centres, being rated as Good by the Care Quality commission for maternity services last year, and the Maternity Voices Partnership (a group chaired by women who have used our services) becoming fully embedded into practice and driving changes through feedback from women.”
“We are committed as a team to improving upon this score every year; and will continue to undertake a lot of work to ensure that we are truly providing the best possible services for new mothers, babies and their families.”