WOMEN & CHILDREN AND CLINICAL SUPPORT SERVICES DIVISION

MINUTES OF MATERNITY SERVICES LIAISON COMMITTEE MEETING

held on Wednesday 30 September 2015 at 13.30 – 15.00 hours

in the Parent Education Room, Antenatal Gynae Clinic, West Suffolk Hospital

1. ATTENDANCE / APOLOGIES

Attendees: / Attendance / Apologies
Stephanie Holland / Chair / 
Heather Barrable / Student Midwife/BfN Helper/Lay Member / 
Cathy Adkins / ANC Midwife / 
Daisy Hamilton / Labour Suite Manager / 
Louisa White / Lark Team Midwife / 
Caroline Boughton / Lay Member / 
Rachel Heathcock / NCT – Antenatal Teacher / 
Karen Ranson / Neonatal Unit Manager / 
Patricia Davis / Head of Midwifery / 
Julie Halsey / Community Midwife / 
Tom Delaney / Suffolk Healthwatch / 
Apologies:
Vicky Barbour-Andrews / Lay Member / 
Karen Green / Senior Midwife Labour Suite / 
Cheryl McDonnell / Infant Feeding Co-ordinator / 
Erin Freeman / Lay Member / 
Debbie Willis / Lay Member / 
Jeanette Lee / Lay Member / 
Jenna Keenan / Lay Member / 
Kathryn Whiteway / FAB Branch Manager / 

ACTION

2.

/ MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING HELD ON 22 JULY 2015
The minutes from the last meeting were agreed and correct.

3.

/ MATTERS ARISING FROM LAST THE MEETING
Fundraising/publicity
Steph Holland attended Walk Through Life Exhibition at the Athenaeum on 7th September to raise the profile of MSLC.
The MSLC were unable to attend ‘It’s a Bury Knock-Out’ due to lack of volunteers.
Website
Feedback from the website has been positive and the public are starting to fill in
online feedback forms. Over 100 people have commented that they “liked” the facebook page..

AGENDA ITEMS

4. /

Pregnancy & Parenting Fayre Outcome

On 7th August, the MSLC hosted their first Pregnancy & Parenting Fayre at The Centre, St John’s Street. There was a good turnout on the day, and very positive feedback from stallholders and the public. The event raised £300 for the Labour Suite. Steph Holland is investigating venues for a future fayre to be held in the Spring.
5. /

AGM

Steph Holland told the committee about the progress of plans for the AGM on 25th November 2015. The evening will consist of a Pregnancy Information evening and the AGM itself, from 6pm-9pm at the Hyndman Centre, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 3JT. She has invited guest speakers including:
Sarah Oakley, Nursing Nurture (Lactation Consultant and Tongue-Tie Practitioner)
Kathryn Whiteway, Families and Babies (Breastfeeding Support)
Vicky Barbour-Andrews & Debbie Willis, Inner Calm Birth and Better Birth and Baby (Hypnobirthing, placenta encapsulation)
Rosie Dhoopun, Nature and Nurture (NNU boxes)
Lisa Newdick, NHS Diabetic Dept (Diabetes in Pregnancy)
Also attending to exhibit are:
Carly Webber-Pollard, Daisy Birthing
Erin Freeman, Erin Freeman Photography
Gemma Abbot, Dogs and Storks
Wendy Gausden, Karma Babies
Debbie Greenslade, Bury Homeopaths
Emma Armstrong & Pauline Goodchild, Bury St Edmunds Sling Library
NCT Bury St Edmunds
St Edmundsbaby
Suffolk Cloth Nappies (Unconfirmed)
Children’s Centres (Unconfirmed)
Members were asked to circulate the posteres to as many people as possible. Midwives, health visitors, as well as families who are expecting, or with new babies are all welcome to attend the event. Any money raised during the event will go towards our Labour Suite Fund.
6. /

FEEDBACK

Heather Barrable was thanked for compiling the data from the feedback cards.
62 postcards were returned from 18th June – 27th August 2015.
MLBU – 59 postcards, 96% found their general experience to be very good, 3% found it to be good, and 1% found it to be average.
Celia, Jackie and Sue were thanked personally in the comments, but overall, very positive comments about the staff, and the support.
Labour Suite–3 postcards, 93% very good, 7% good.
Sandra was thanked personally, and comments were very positiveabout other midwives.
Overall results: 95% found their general experience at WSH to be very good, and 5% found it to be good.
Only one form was returned via the webpage. The comments were very positive about their experience, but negative with regard to treatment of their visitors.
Steph Holland to order replacement feedback cards to be distributed on the wards. / Steph Holland
7. /

BREASTFEEDING

  • FAB representative were unable to attend but will send results separately.
  • Breastfeeding at WSH. Cheryl McDonnell was unable to attend the meeting. Most recent breast feeding rate is 84%.
  • BFI assessment has been postponed until 4th and 5th February 2016
/ Kathryn Whiteway
8. /

MATERNITY SERVICES UPDATE

Work on the Bereavement Suite is due to start in October 2015.
As from the 5th October 2015 partners will be allowed to stay overnight when a woman is having an induction of labour. Ongoing evaluation of the initiative will take place and appropriate feedback.
There has been positive feedback from the Antenatal/postnatal ward, including an improvement in staffing numbers.
Policies in the Midwifery Led birthing Unit need to be a reviewed and updated.
Work on the renovation of the Labour Suite is yet to be started. The money raised by the MSLC needs to be allocated appropriately. Discussion with Patricia Davis and Daisy Hamilton is needed to decide where it can be put to best use.
The Neonatal Unit have started using Rosie’s Boxes in memory of local mum Rosie Dhoopun’s son Bryn. The boxes contain thermometer probes, baby labels, monitors, blankets, breast pads, hats, a poster for all the nurses to sign, and a journal that stays with the baby. More information about this will be shared at the AGM. There are plans to decorate the parent’s room within the Neonatal Unit. / Justyna Skonieczny/Patricia Davis
9. /

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

  1. Hannah Seeley Ball was held on the 11th September 2015. It was very well attended and received excellent media coverage. More photographs can be viewed on the website.
Congratulations to Karen Green for receiving the award for Midwife of the Year. Elaine Sirrell received Midwifery Care Assistant of the Year award and Katherine BurrowsStudent Midwife of the Year award. A special award also went to Sue Ridley for the support she provides for the maternity unit.
  1. The NCT are hosting Christmas Baby Fayre at Risby Village Hall on Sunday 22nd November 2015 from 11am – 2pm. The MSLC are intending to have a stall, and would like along side them a midwives stall. Patricia Davis and Karen Newbury to ask willing midwives to man the stall.
  1. StEdmundsbaby Magazine – Steph Holland is publishing a new parenting magazine for Bury St Edmundsto go alongside the website ( She would like to include antenatal and postnatal guidance/information from the midwifery teams. She will be advertising MSLC events for free, as well as Children’s Centre timetables. The magazine will contain a mixture of articles, stories, adverts and directions to support, events and groups for parents in the area. Patricia Davis to investigate whether the Trust will approve of the circulation of the magazine via the team midwives.
  1. Tom Delaney attended from Healthwatch Suffolk to ask about progress on the partner questionnaires discussed at the last meeting. Patricia Davis informed the committee that a new Communications Manager will be starting in December, and they will take the lead on this. It will be part of the National Maternity Review being led by Baroness Cumberledge.
  1. Steph Holland reminded the committee to distribute the AGM posters and flyers in all clinical areas if possible.
  1. Patricia Davis and Steph Holland to discuss the logistics of the AGM and to agree on dates for next year’s committee meetings.
/ Patricia Davis/Karen Newbury
Patricia Davis
Patricia Davis/ Steph Holland
11. /

DATE OF NEXT MEETING

Wednesday 25th November 2015 AGM and Pregnancy Information Evening at 18.00-21.00 hours at the Hyndman Centre, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 3JT (AGM begins at 19.00)

Minutes by: Daisy Hamilton/Steph Holland

Maternity Services Liaison Committee, 30 September2015Page 1 of 4