Our first evening meeting allowing saw two new service user reps attend and a GP for the first time. Think we will look to mixing up the meeting times next year in the hope it proves as successful.
I still haven't figured out how to attach minutes and agenda's but will do my best in the blog to give a picture of key actions and progress from the meetings and give you opportunities to comment or get involved.
So big news is of course that the new birthing centre is now OPEN and has had 51 births to date they have 60 births booked in and are averaging 2-3 births a day and have had 7 transfers up to the labour ward.
Service user feedback from the little green cards given out on discharge and in all the waiting rooms from April show an increase in positive feedback... most unhappiness is generally about staff attitude rather than clinical care. However all the 'service users' (mums) at the meeting said the forms need to be singled out as only one of us had recently seen one and completed it and that was because she knew to look for it... As I left the meeting which was held in women's health at the hospital I located the green cards on the far wall of the waiting room and put some on all the tables and handed them to couple's waiting. One of our first time attendees also gave some really useful feedback on the waiting room for labour ward a few simple things to make spending any time there easier for pregnant women waiting. Like water, something nice to look at and some regular communication about when they will be seen and how long the wait could be... Oh yes and some feedback comment cards.
Engagement - Yes we will do something for Lewisham People's day, promote the birth unit, promote direct access service , promote the MSLC and promote feedback.
The MSLC will arrange a facilitated forum in October 2010 to enable women and possibly dads who wouldn't traditionally get involved in meetings. We may use people's day to get a steer on where to focus.
I reported on starting this blog and a facebook group which is gaining numbers and includes some Lewisham midwives and hopefully will become another way for us to help involve peeps and improve Lewisham' maternity services.
We have also fixed the date for all of us to have training from the NCT to help us get the best out of our committee and working together.
The other biggeee is we discussed the idea of merging the maternity matters steering group with the MSLC to reduce duplication and it will lead to increased involvement of service users in commissioning decisions for maternity services in the future. It is still early days and would need sign off from the PCT board. But could be a very interesting if challenging development for the MSLC. So watch this space..
Other news is there is a new womens mental health worker based at Lewisham (can't remember the correct title) and women on mat ward 5 and being seen at the perineal clinic can now self refer to physiotherapy.
Think that's it well its 10:45 on a Sunday evening and I am beat after a long weekend with alone with the two tiddliwinks.
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