Problem
• Maternity has been one of the pilot areas to use Attend Anywhere as a resource to keep in touch with and support women which has served to boost the service they provide during Covid lockdown
Aim
• Improving quality of care, as Mothers can ‘see’ staff and they can see them, rather than having discussions over the phone. The advantages of video on these calls is remarkable, it enables demonstration of breastfeeding skills using props (dolls and knitted breasts). In addition, it enables the professional to observe and provide personalised advice to Mothers.
Plan
• Department piloted Attend Anywhere within the department
• Staff training package
• Comms package to inform women of new service
• Launch of service with plan to review within the coming months with support of project manager
Benefits
• Reduction in awaiting an appointment at the breastfeeding clinic which currently runs once a week
• Respond straight away to women’s needs instead of providing a once a week clinic and use a doll and knitted breast to demonstrate to parents how to correctly hold and attach baby, they can see me and I can see them
• Video calls can be carried out anywhere – example; from patient bed from one Trust site to the other to source support from clinical specialist
• Women have access to support via a quicker route which hasn’t impact on breaking social distancing measures. Partners can be involved in discussions and holding camera over the Mother so she can demonstrate how they are coping and be guided at the same time with techniques and correct positioning
Measures
• No travel time
• Respond time critical instead of asking women to await for appointment at a face to face clinic
• Improve and maintain breastfeeding rates
• Efficient use of staff time
• Can do record keeping on another laptop at the same time as taking a call
Resources / team
• IT Services to set up Attend Anywhere
• Training of staff to use service and supporting women to use the service
• Midwife lead for IT services
• Midwifery teams
Key learning
• Barriers have been torn down now – more networks built
• Will ask more readily for trying and testing new ideas
Tips for others
• Go for it!
• Let’s do it mindset - discuss their ideas
• Collaborate, getting ideas cascaded to move it on
Emily Exell
Specialist Midwife – Infant Feeding Coordinator