The Chief Midwifery Officer for England visited Warrington Hospital this week to tour its maternity services and present a special award to a dedicated staff member.
Kate Brintworth was welcomed by Ali Kennah, Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals’ Chief Nurse, and Ailsa Gaskill-Jones, Director of Midwifery, along with midwives, nurses and maternity support workers who shared insights into the work they are doing to provide the best care for women and families.
The tour commenced in the Maternity Triage Assessment Unit, a dedicated space which provides a 24-hour service for expectant parents who may have concerns during their pregnancy, before moving to The Nest, the Trust’s midwifery-led unit that offers women a ‘home from home’ relaxed environment to welcome their baby.
The Trust has made a significant investment into maternity services, and the team shared more about the enhanced maternity care on offer. Team River, one of six midwifery continuity of care teams, spoke about their work to ensure families with additional vulnerabilities, in particular those who do not speak English as a first language, have a positive pregnancy journey.
The specialist team have recently introduced an accessible antenatal education package, offered in eight languages, along with health flashcards to provide visual aids when discussing care, and easy read or translated patient information leaflets.
The enhanced offer by WHH was commended for its outstanding practice with local partners to deliver outreach maternity care by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) during its visit in September 2023, when the Trust’s maternity services were rated ‘Good’.
The final stop on the tour showcased the recently opened Induction of Labour Unit and Birth Suite. The new unit provides a larger, more comfortable space with two induction bays with ensuite facilities and kitchen facilities to enhance the experience and comfort of patients on the induction of labour pathway and their birthing partners.
As part of the visit, Kate Brintworth also presented Rachel Wood, Maternity Support Worker, with a coveted Chief Midwifery Officer Award. Rachel received the national Chief Midwifery Officer Award accolade for her hard work and dedication to maternity practice.
Kate Brintworth, Chief Midwifery Officer for England, said: “It was a pleasure to visit Warrington Hospital and see first-hand their excellent work and innovation in maternity care, particularly in the way they are using the maternity support worker role to provide special support for vulnerable women, babies and families.
“During my visit, I was proud to present maternity support worker, Rachel, with a Chief Midwifery Officer Award. She is kind, compassionate and patient-focused, and sets a gold standard for patient care and professional excellence. Congratulations Rachel, this award is well-deserved.”
The Chief Midwifery Officer Awards have been developed to reward the significant and outstanding contributions made by maternity support workers (MSWs) who go above and beyond their everyday role. MSWs who receive the award consistently demonstrate the values of the NHS and use their range of skills, expertise and compassion to deliver the highest standard of patient care.
Upon receiving the certificate and badge, Rachel was commended for her kindness, compassion and professional excellence.
Rachel was nominated for the award by her colleagues, Amelia Crowther, Midwifery Theatre Coordinator, and Rachel Crone, Specialist Midwife for Practice Education, who praised her ability to work collaboratively with colleagues to ensure seamless care from pre-operative to post-natal recovery, along with her ‘unwavering emotional support’ for patients and their families to make sure they feel well-prepared for birth and their new arrival.
Rachel said: “Wow, what a shock to have received the Chief Midwifery Officer Award from Kate Brintworth. I was very overwhelmed and tearful to receive it, and to read the feedback from patients and colleagues.
“I was nominated by my colleagues who recognised the work that I do within the elective caesarean section team. The patients I care for mean so much to me, and I always strive to treat my patients like family. I always try my best to show kindness and compassion to everyone that I care for.”
As part of the nomination, patient feedback hailed Rachel as a ‘wonderful person’ who is an ‘exemplary example of nursing professionalism’ offering reassurance and compassion during what can be some of the most stressful but exciting times for parents.
Ailsa Gaskill-Jones, Director of Midwifery at Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals, said: “It was a real honour to welcome Kate, Chief Midwifery Officer for England, to WHH. We are incredibly proud of our team here and it was so lovely to see Rachel’s hard work and dedication recognised on the day too.
“The visit also provided a wonderful opportunity to share some of the recent improvements that we are most proud of, along with our exciting ongoing initiatives including the RSV vaccination offer, enhanced midwifery service and how our maternity service is embracing the digital agenda to transform care for patients.”
