Implementing Re:Birth and decolonising midwifery toolkit within Welsh maternity training programmes. Sarah Hookes, Welsh Risk Pool, NHS Wales

Shared Services Partnership. PROMPT was implemented in 2019 throughout NHS and is attended by all maternity staff annually. To  bring our training programmes in line with Welsh Government's and NWSSP's strategic objectives around equality, diversity and inclusivity, we adopted elements of the RCM's decolonising midwifery education toolkit  which could be implemented into our training programmes.

Taking Professional Midwifery Advocate (PMA) support to the next level. Tina McCann and Keely Franklin, Bedfordshire Hospitals Foundation Trust.

The goal of this abstract is to explore the opportunity to present our journey of devising a Trust based PMA booklet to the RCM members. We would like to discuss our journey of enabling a local resource and how we converted the resource into a generic version for PMA and Professional Nursing Advocates (PNA) locally, regionally and nationally.

Generating Neuroinclusive Selection to Health Professions: Process evaluation of a novel co-designed asynchronous Multiple Mini Interview. Dr Alison Callwood, Dr Jenny Harris, Ms Maddy Coe, University of Surrey.

Ensuring equitable access to healthcare education programmes and employment is a fundamental human right. Our aim was to better understand the accessibility needs of neurodivergent healthcare student applicants when undertaking online interviews. A co-design approach was used to evaluate an existing asynchronous online MMI platform.

All Wales Midwives Journal Club. Sian Jones, Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board

On joining the NMC register the expectation is that registrants maintain their knowledge in order to promote safe and effective practice (NMC 2018).  Yet once midwives join the workforce, engagement with academic literature and research decreases significantly.  A local journal club was created to encourage midwives to participate in discussion, facilitated by a guest speaker, around a subject that was felt to be meaningful to the staff at the time. With interest from other Health Boards the All Wales Midwives Journal Club came about. 

Caring beyond the statistics: Student midwives experiences of learning to care for women from ethnic minorities during childbearing. A qualitative study using phenomenology. Vimbai Carr, Dr Kylie Watson, Dr Christine Furber, University of Manchester.

The study aimed to explore student midwives lived experiences of learning to care for women from ethnic minorities, and to ascertain whether undergraduate midwifery education adequately prepares student midwives to care for women from ethnic minorities during childbearing.

Immersive case study film approach for maternity training. Asha Dhany and India Doggett, Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

To create a fresh training approach which was visual, kinaesthetic, real and relatable to staff and incorporated live immersive learning exercises. This followed a survey to all of our staff asking for their thoughts and preferred teaching and learning styles.  83% of our respondents said they preferred to learn visually by seeing and observing or kinaesthetically.  

Energising innovation in midwifery education: showcasing scaling-up student-led learning with ICM’s Competencies. Anna af Ugglas, Laerdal Medical.

The aim is to meet the need for innovative solutions for midwifery education by disseminating the findings from ongoing pilot projects conducted at four UK universities' midwifery programs. These pilots focus on implementing and integrating the ICM Midwifery Competencies powered by a digital learning tool into the midwifery curriculum.

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Maternity services learning and development app. Leanne Daniel,  Swansea University, Joanna Thompson, University of South Wales, Becky Jones, Cwm Taf Healthboard, Natalie Lloyd Hughes, Cardiff and Vale UHB, Shelby Vaughan, Cwm Taf Healthboard.

A team of five clinical midwives and midwifery educators from across Wales worked together to develop a prototype for a Learning and Development digital App. This app delivers accessible information for individuals to enhance their development, learning opportunities and promote career pathways. 

The challenges of remote and rural midwifery. Lauren Flett, NHS Orkney

The aim of the QI project was to provide a “Calendar of Events”, with regular in house training sessions address the challenges faced by midwifery practitioners in Orkney who are lone working, and lack of training opportunities.

A simulation memory making workshop to improve the confidence of student midwives. Rebecca Beggan, University of York.

A systematic literature review found that student midwives in the United Kingdom felt ill-prepared and unconfident in bereavement care for women and birthing people experiencing perinatal loss. The aim of this project was to increase in confidence in the three identified aspects of memory making (photography, inkless hand/footprints and clay hand/foot imprints) after participation in a memory making workshop.

Supportive registration following a baby death. Pauline McBurnie, Liverpool Women's NHS Trust Hospital.

At Liverpool Women's NHS Trust Hospital we had an onsite registry office for parents to register a livebirth, stillbirth or neonatal death.  Working in collaboration with the Liverpool Registry Office has enabled bereaved parents to complete their baby's stillbirth or neonatal death registration in a private room away from the hustle and bustle of a busy hospital. 

The immune boost project - improving access to early maternal breast milk (MBM) for babies born < 34 weeks gestation. Gemma Miller, Lizzie Kilburn, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

The aim was to increase the proportion of babies born under 34 weeks who receive MBM within the first 24 hours following birth, with a further aim to increase the proportion who receive MBM within 6 hours.

Preterm birth specialist midwives. Gemma Miller, Lizzie Kilburn, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

The aim of this project was to optimise care, experience, and outcomes for those at risk of preterm birth and those delivering prematurely. Working collaboratively, the team is pioneering new ways in; service improvement, in caring for people at high risk of preterm birth, and those delivering prematurely.

Enhancing compliance with British society for haematology guideline: a multifaceted approach to iron deficiency anaemia management in pregnancy. Sarah Mant, Milton Keynes University Hospital.

The British Society for Haematology (BSH) has published guidance on the management of iron deficiency in pregnancy (Pavord et al., 2019). This audit aimed to review compliance with some of the main recommendations made, particularly whether: (1) iron deficiency in pregnancy is being identified and managed promptly; (2) women with anaemia postnatally are being correctly managed.

Exploring implementation of intrapartum trial evidence: a qualitative study with clinicians and clinical academics. Fiona Cross-Sudworth,  Dr Nimarta Dharni,  Professor Sara Kenyon, Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham and Dr Beck Taylor, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick.

Implementing research evidence into clinical practice is challenging. This study aimed to explore implementation of two intrapartum care trials with compelling findings. The first was BUMPES(1) which compared upright with a left lateral position in the second stage of labour for nulliparous women with epidural. 

The development of gestational diabetes mellitus education: supporting women in pregnancy and the type 2 diabetes pathway. Nicola McLachlan, Gaynor Frankgate, Laura Beaton, Emma Kerr, Dean Newell, Alison Jane Anderson, Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board.

In the UK, 1 in 20 pregnancies are affected by Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM). Antenatal care optimises the health and wellbeing of mothers and improves neonatal outcomes. Additionally diagnosis of GDM has future health implications with an 8-10 fold higher chance of developing Type 2 Diabetes. The aim was to develop a new standardised wider access model of education for women diagnosed with GDM.

Implications of the Nationality and Borders Act (2022) for pregnant women; a qualitative study of midwives views. Elizabeth Leeming, Professor Judith Rankin and Dr Lem Ngongolah, Newcastle University Population Life Sciences Institute, funded by an NIHR Applied Research Collaboration North East North Cumbria (NENC) Scholarship.

The Nationality and Borders Act (2022) does not exempt vulnerable groups from residence in accommodation centres, such as former military barracks (APPG, 2021). Currently women and children are not housed in such conditions long term. The aim of this study was to ascertain midwives’ views about the potential impact of ‘quasi-detention’ on the health and wellbeing of pregnant mothers and neonates.

The role of the specialist midwife in improving choice for families with a breech presenting baby. Lucy Williamson, Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust.

The specialist midwife for breech birth (0.4WTE) commenced February 2023 and was part-funded by an impact acceleration grant from NIHR as part of the OptiBreech collaborative research project. The plan was to establish a specialist breech clinic and referral process for families with a breech presenting baby and to support the collection of data for the OptiBreech research project. 

Antenatal care and management in optimizing outcomes of open fetal surgery for open spina bifida at UCLH/GOSH and UZ Leuven Fetal Surgery Centres within the NHSE commissioning framework. Georgina Murray, UCLH; Sofia Mastrodima-Polychroniou, UCLH; Professor Anna David, UCLH; Mr George Attilakos, UCLH; Mr Dominic Thompson, GOSH and UCLH; Dr Kelly Pegoretti Baruteau, UCLH; Dr Michael Aertsen, UZ Leuven; Professor Roland Devlieger, UZ Leuven; Professor Philippe De Vloo, UZ Leuven; Professor Jan Deprest, UZ Leuven and UCLH.

A prospective investigation was conducted on UK patients diagnosed with open spina bifida, meeting criteria for prenatal surgery from 01/11/2019 to 30/11/2023. We will present the outcomes and outline the potential challenges and areas for development associated with antenatal care and management of patients, who underwent open prenatal surgery for the treatment of fetuses with open spina bifida.

Differences in changes in maternal subcutaneous fat distribution throughout pregnancy, depending on gestational weight gain. Anna M. Dieberger, Viktoria Jost, Mireille N.M. van Poppel, Herbert Fluhr, Evelyn Jantscher-Krenn.

Excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) has been linked to pregnancy disorders such as gestational diabetes and fetal overgrowth. Mass and distribution of adipose tissue are closely related to glucose and lipid metabolism and in pregnancy, fat depot redistribution may have implications for the feto-maternal metabolism. The aim of this study was to analyse changes in maternal body fat distribution over the course of pregnancy and investigate its relationship with GWG.

Do evaluations of women’s experiences of maternity care recognise diversity? A systematic literature mapping review. Dalvir Kandola, Professor Debi Bhattacharya, Molly Patterson, Dr Alison Harte University Hospitals of Leicester.

The aim of this systematic scoping review is to determine if evaluations of women’s experiences of maternity care recognise diversity by reviewing the extent to which the criteria of the framework for culturally competent research are fulfilled.  

Fluid intake, fluid balance monitoring and hyponatraemia in the peripartum period; a multi-centre audit of service-user perceptions and clinical care. Hayley Martin 1,2, Dr Shady Elhallous3, Dr Arani Pillai3, Ms Chandrima Biswas4, Dr Sumayya Manji4, Dr Kate Wiles1. 1 Barts Health NHS Trust, 2  King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust , 3  Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, 4 Whittington Health NHS Trust.

Fluid balance monitoring is frequently adopted within high-risk pregnancies but is often limited within midwifery-led care. This audit aimed to review the pre-pregnancy, antenatal and intrapartum oral fluid intake and advice given to low and high-risk service users. Additionally, the audit aimed to review indications for intravenous fluid administration, frequency and accuracy of fluid balance care provided by midwives and the wider multidisciplinary team, and incidence of peripartum hyponatraemia.

Women’s and healthcare professionals’ perspectives on health research opportunities during the postnatal period – findings from the North East and North Cumbria (NENC) Postnatal Contraception (PoCo) study. Caitlin Thompson1, Dr Malcom Moffat1, Dr Robyn Jackowich2, Christine Moller-Christensen1, Prof Judith Rankin1. 1Faculty of Medical Sciences, Populational Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, 2 School of Psychology, Cardiff University.

The aim of the PoCo study was to explore women’s and healthcare professionals’ experiences of receiving and delivering postnatal contraception care in the NENC Integrated Care System. An additional objective was to consider how access to health research opportunities during the postnatal period might be better facilitated and expanded for both birthing parents and healthcare professionals, as well as to determine the areas of postnatal care and early postnatal experiences that would be of most interest to potential research participants.  

Autism awareness: Supporting autistic people accessing maternity services. Sally Brown, Cardiff University, Sara Powell, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board.

The aim was to produce an educational poster aimed at healthcare professionals (HCP’sto highlight the additional challenges that autistic women may face when accessing maternity services, and reasonable practicable adjustments that maternity staff can take to improve their experience and outcomes.

Pronouns. Lynn Jones, Powys Teaching Health Board, Emma O’Connor, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Sian Phillips, Hywel Dda University Health Board, Rebecca Taylor Swansea Bay University Health Board.

The project involved developing a method of collecting information regarding a person's pronoun and preferential choices to improve patient experience when accessing maternity services. 

Using a pragmatic randomised controlled trial to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of midwife-led continuity of care to reduce health inequalities. Rachael Moss, Alison Ellwood, Sara Ahern, Maria Bryant, Tracey Bywater and Josie Dickerson. Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

This study aimed to identify any barriers and facilitators to the implementation of midwife-led continuity of carer  provision (MCC), and to explore the experiences of socially disadvantaged women receiving MCC care. 

A team-based approach to dismantle systemic barriers, unlearn racism and embrace race equity. Paula-Maria Cummins, Kingston University London.

Institutions and society are inherently interwoven with Eurocentric ideologies, rendering marginalised groups to face inequalities and ultimately face poorer outcomes. The aim of the study was to explore and gain an understanding of midwifery educators’ perceptions and understanding of race and racism in the classroom and examine how adoption of culturally responsive pedagogy might provide a holistic response to systemic barriers in midwifery education.

Your wellbeing app. Rebecca Eedy , Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, Samantha Jones, Bangor University, Amanda Morgan - Swansea Bay University Health Board, Helen Tierney, Betsi Cadwaldr University Health Board.

The Wellbeing App provides colleagues support that can be accessed easily and remotely, This app aims to promote positive support, give colleagues a feeling of empowerment and belonging in order to retain the skilled staff we are losing through stress and burnout. 

Preventing and improving rates of anaemia in pregnant women in Dumfries and Galloway. Artemis Seddon, NHS Dumfries and Galloway In Scotland, approximately a fifth of women experience anaemia in their pregnancy.

This QI project aim to educate women and midwives on the importance and benefits of anaemia management. 

Experiences of healthcare in the perinatal period when facing child protection – a systematic review and critical interpretative synthesis. Kaat De Backer, Hannah Rayment-Jones, Billie Lever Taylor, Tamsin Bicknell, Elsa Montgomery, Jane Sandall, Abigail Easter, King's College London.

Pregnancy and the postnatal period are times of transition and anticipation and for women with social risk factors, child protection services may become involved which might complicate their interactions with healthcare providers. This aim of this study was to systematically review and synthesise existing qualitative evidence of healthcare experiences during the perinatal period when facing child protection involvement.

Pelvic floor symptoms according to the severity of second-degree perineal tears. Marthe Dalevoll Macedo, MMid 1,2; Jeanette Risløkken, MMid 1,2; Jūratė Šaltytė Benth, PhD 3,4; Marie Ellström Engh, MD, PhD 1,2; Franziska Siafarikas, MD, PhD 1,2. 1 University of Oslo, Faculty of Medicine, Division Akershus University Hospital, Oslo, Norway, 2 Akershus University Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lørenskog, Norway, 3 Institute of Clinical Medicine, Campus Ahus, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway, 4 Health Services Research Unit, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway.

Second-degree perineal tears vary widely in size and thus the extent of damage to the perineal body. The aim of this study was to assess differences in pelvic floor symptoms in primiparas according to the severity of second-degree perineal tears up to 12 months post-partum.

Breastfeeding self-efficacy among mothers in a hospital in Rome. Preliminary data from a cross-sectional observational study. Preziosi J., Valeri M., Rizzi F., Tedesco G., Danza M., Rega M.L., Anderson G. IRCSS A. Gemelli University Polyclinic Foundation, Rome, Italy - Sacred Heart Catholic University, Rome, Italy.

Both World Health Organization and UNICEF recommend breastfeeding as the optimal source of infant nutrition. Despite this, as reported by the National Institute of Health, less than half (46%) of the two-three months infants are exclusively breastfeed in Italy. We aim to (a) to describe the breastfeeding self-efficacy of parturient women in a referral birth centre in Italy, (b) to identify the sociodemographic factors associated with mothers' breastfeeding self-efficacy.

Women's experiences of attempted suicide in the perinatal period (ASPEN-study) - A qualitative study. Kaat De Backer, Alexandra Pali, Fiona Challacombe, Jane Sandall, Louise Howard and Abigail Easter, King's College London.

Our study aimed to explore the experiences of women and birthing people who had a perinatal suicide attempt and to understand the context and contributing factors surrounding their perinatal suicide attempt.

Finding an alternative to ethyl chloride spray. Heather Cluness, Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy, NHS Fife

This QI project resulted from trying to find an alternative to ethyl chloride spray which is used in the assessment of epidural blocks. The aim was to save money and reduce our environmental impact

Dyslexia in midwifery students and supporting them in clinical practice.  Amy Richmond and Shirley Allen Middlesex University.

The study aims to explore the experiences of dyslexic students in the clinical area and make recommendations for a learning support strategy in order to support students in their transition to a professional career as a midwife.

Coaching models to support pre-registration midwifery education in clinical practice. Carole Yearley and Juliet Borwell, Advisors for the NHSE WT&E National Midwifery team.

To undertake a national scoping exercise to explore the use of coaching models to support pre-registration midwifery education, how they can be developed and implemented in practice with the aim of providing a practice learning environment for students to benefit from peer supported learning, underpinned by high-quality coaching and supervision.

Enhancing opportunities in education: Novel approaches to research activities for student midwives’ a case study at King’s College London. Rebecca Daley, Tomasina Stacey, Charlotte Mungeam, Elsa Montgomery, Claire Feeley, King’s College London.

As a research-active midwifery teaching department with extensive clinical research delivery and academic experience, embedding research throughout the student journey is an integral part of our roles and Faculty aspirations. Beyond an evidence-based curriculum and teaching research methods, we have sought to engage students with research activities during their programme. 

Newborn heart murmurs at Musgrove Park hospital 2018-2022. Tessa Dean, Somerset Foundation Trust.

Newborn heart murmurs are detected during the routine newborn and infant physical examination. The rates of heart murmurs recorded in the literature vary from 0.6-8.6% (Yoon et al., 2020). The same systematic review suggests that around 37% of these babies have congenital heart disease. The number of heart murmurs at Musgrove Park Hospital (MPH) remained approximately static between 2018-2020 and then doubled in 2021. A service evaluation was proposed to investigate possible reasons for the increase.

Reproductive health and childbirth national research champions group

A group of midwives from across the Clinical Research Networks in England and the Devolved Nations involved in Reproductive Health and Childbirth research delivery.  We provide help to individuals, universities and NHS trusts planning or delivering RH&C research locally and nationally.  We help trusts with study set-up and the research and development approvals process and  disseminate information to assist researchers gain access to more NHS sites and wider patient populations, helping to reduce health inequalities.

Building psychological safety into maternity services; an educational programme to support culture change. Ally Anderson, Laura Askins, Paul Williams, South Tees NHS Foundation Trust.

Culture, civility, and psychological safety have been highlighted by recent national enquiries in maternity as being toxic and unsafe in units that have consistently failed women, their babies, and their families. A pilot session on psychological safety was held in December 2022, receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback. This was rolled out through ten further sessions between March-July 2023. All maternity staff were invited, participants across the full range of roles and grades attended.  

The second report on the Early Notification Scheme- NHS Resolution. Annette Anderson, Lynn Tilley, Jayne Poole, Marwa Sabir Mohamed, Early Notification Team. The aim is to raise awareness of the second Early Notification (EN) Scheme report.

The EN Scheme is a cornerstone of NHS Resolution’s strategy to improve claims resolution and support learning after harm. The scheme contributes to the National Maternity Safety Ambition to achieve a 50% reduction in stillbirth, maternal mortality, neonatal mortality, and serious brain injury by 2025.

Transforming maternity triage. Kerry Taylor, Akeisha Robinson, Sam Dell, Lucy Lawrence University Hospital Dorset.

In 2021 the Maternity Unit underwent a CQC inspection.  One of the services which the CQC felt required improvement was the Maternity Triage department. The lead midwives and obstetrician for triage led the change from the front, developing training videos for all midwives, core triage midwives and obstetricians. In the last 18 months, the team has been effectively triaging 96% of women within 15 minutes of arrival.  This is an incredible achievement from where we started.  In 2023, the team had a visit by Jo Black who gave a glowing review of the service.