Team Diamond joins Emerald and Sapphire to support families through continuity of care

30th April 2026

The Southern Health and Social Care Trust has strengthened its continuity of midwifery carer model with the addition of a third team, Team Diamond, supporting women and families in the Armagh area.

It joins the established Team Emerald (supporting the Portadown, Craigavon and Lurgan areas) and Team Sapphire (supporting the Newry, Bessbrook, Camlough, Mayobridge and Rathfriland areas), to provide continuity of care across the Trust.

This model improves care by providing support from a small, consistent team of known midwives throughout pregnancy, labour, birth and the early postnatal period, helping to build trusted relationships and more personalised maternity care.

The Southern Trust is currently the only Trust in NI with three continuity of midwifery carer teams in operation.

Maria Garvey, Lead Midwife for Continuity of Midwifery Care, said:

“Continuity of care is about more than appointments, it’s about relationships.

“We get to know women and families early in pregnancy and stay with them through that journey, so there is familiarity and trust at every stage.

“With Team Diamond joining our existing teams, we are able to offer that consistent support to more women and families across Armagh and the wider Trust area.

“For us, that continuity really makes a difference to how care feels.”

Colm McCaffrey, Director of Children, Young People and Women’s Services, said:

“The expansion of our continuity of midwifery care teams is a key step in strengthening maternity services across the Southern Trust.

“By developing Team Diamond alongside our established Emerald and Sapphire teams, we are improving access to consistent, relationship-based care for more women and families in our communities.

“This approach directly supports our Vision 2030 priorities, helping us deliver safe, high-quality care and improve experience and outcomes by designing services around the needs of those we serve.”