June 29, 2004

Birmingham maternity hospitals

The group I am working with in Birmingham are from two hospitals - Solihull and Heartlands. I was aware of this in advance, so to try and find out what experience the group had from working in other hospitals, I asked each person to tell us where they trained and had worked as a midwife. It is often useful when group members have worked in a variety of units, because they bring perspectives and experience from different service providers.

As the group members introduced each other it became clear that this was a very stable workforce. All but a very few had trained in these hospitals and then worked in one or other. This is unusual, and whilst it can mean a very tightly knit, cohesive group of midwives who share common philosophies and practice habits that may not necessarily be the reality.

I then told them that I would try to push their boundaries beyond what they knew from working in this small geographical area because I felt they needed to know of other ways of working. When midwives want to introduce a new service, try a new technique or change a policy, they need to find other units that have travelled that road before. I have never encountered two hospitals who work the same with identical policies, protocols and management strategies, and this diversity (whilst challenging the claim that may be made that “our hospital has the best way of providing service”) can offer valuable feedback to others who want to learn from their experience.

These two hospital in Birmingham, despite being somewhat of a “closed shop” within the Trust, are very different. Both serve a different demographic group, with one having much higher rates of epidural use (the affluent Solihull clientele) and the other a much lower caesarean birth rate. Neither have a midwifery led unit or a birth centre, although they are hopeful one can be established.

I am looking forward to exposing them to other ideas about birth today..... and leaving them with much food for thought.

Posted by andrea at June 29, 2004 05:30 PM

Comments

Andrea, Welcome to Birmingham. We met in Bristol for the second time earlier this year and I have since enrolled on the Graduate diploma starting Jan 05. Can't wait to get started but am getting my work life organised before starting the assignments.

It sounds like you had a interesting day yesterday with the midwives from BHH and Solihull. I'm sure today will be as interesting. I've no doubt you will inspire those that are less confident about active birth which is great because I am trying to encorporate more Active Birth into the Parent Ed. sessions that I hold at BHH.

We desperately need the inspiration and motivation (let alone funding)to get a birthing unit up and running. Sadly we did have a midwifery led unit when BHH first opened about 10 years ago but it went the way of most midwifery things - into the hands of the Gynae surgeons about 6 years ago. There's nothing like going backwards! Hopefully your study days will get us all talking and give us the 'kick up the backside' that we need to start chipping away at the men and women in suits once again!

I hope you've enjoyed your visit and I'm sorry I wasn't able to say Hello in person.

Posted by: julie leaver on June 30, 2004 12:26 AM

Comments

Hello Andrea,

I was sorry not to be able to meet you on your recent visit to our trust, but I have been interested to read your comments.
Thank you for visiting and leading a course which will inspire and inform our Midwives.

As you have noted we serve a diverse population within our "One Trust on Two Sites" area which gives our midwives an exciting amd stimulating workplace with a very wide menu of experience to participate in and learn from.

Perhaps it is this diversity partnered with our close knit, suportive family of staff which encourages people to stay working here. I hadn't considered that we were insular as we have Midwives working here who have experience in a large number of units and countries and members of staff have visited maternity units in Romania in exchanges. Perhaps the small group of 30 was not really representative of our total 250 workforce?

Your comments regarding having experience from outside the area would have been addressed if it was an issue for you, i was not advised of this when booking the course. We booked the course complete in order to ensure that learning opportunity was provided for our staff from each site and community.

We are very proud of our high normal delivery rate at Heartlands and our improving statistics from Solihull and hope that the skills and experience you shared with us will help us to continue to provide support to the women we assist to birth,

thankyou,
Tracie Fulton
Professional Development & Clinical Governance Manager

Posted by: Tracie Fulton on July 2, 2004 02:54 AM