HomeNewsNew midwifery team introduced to improve continuity for expectant mums
New midwifery team introduced to improve continuity for expectant mums
17th April 2023
The Southern Health and Social Care Trust is reshaping the way maternity services are delivered through its first Continuity of Midwifery Carer (CoMC) team.
The CoMC regional initiative sees a small team of midwives follow pregnant women through every step of their journey, building strong relationships with them and their families and providing seamless support from booking through to labour and postnatal period.
The first team has been established in the Trust – Team Emerald – and is made up of experienced midwives from both a hospital and community background plus a maternity support worker. The introduction of this innovative new model starts with the planned launch of a small scale implementation on Monday 17th April initially in the Lurgan, Portadown and Brownlow areas.
Maria Garvey, Lead Midwife, said:
“The CoMC model differs in that mums-to-be are assigned a named midwife who follows them throughout the pregnancy journey.
“This is a really positive move as being cared for in this way and getting to know the midwife who will be at the birth, is known to significantly improve outcomes for mothers and babies.
“If for any reason the named midwife cannot attend the whole journey, another member of the team would be present – who they will have also met.
“Research shows that women attended at birth by a known midwife are more satisfied with the information and advice they are given, their preparation for labour and birth, their choice of pain relief and feeling in control and helps prevent some complications.
“We are looking forward to getting to know all the new expectant mums, partners and babies.
Caroline Keown, Assistant Director for Integrated Maternity and Women’s Health (IMWH), said:
“There are over 5,000 births per year in the Southern Trust and we are very excited to be part of this new model of care for mums-to-be which is set to become the standard model of maternity care across the region.
“There are huge advantages to women in having continuity of carer during pregnancy. By improving the experience of women on their maternity journey, overall outcomes are going to be better for all.
“We are delighted to be rolling this out to women in the Lurgan, Portadown and Brownlow areas and hope to expand this concept to within other Trust areas in the coming months.”
Pictured top right are Team Emerald, the first Continuity of Midwifery Carer (CoMC) team in the Southern Trust alongside Caroline Keown (Assistant Director of Integrated Maternity and Women’s Health), Wendy Clarke (Head of Midwifery & Gynaecology) and Dr Nicola Ann- Henderson (Consultant). This new model of care to pregnant women will see women receive support from the same midwifery team from booking through to labour and postnatal period.
Maria, CoMC Lead MidwifeMaria, CoMC Lead Midwife.
I have been a Midwife for many years working through all areas of Maternity and then as a Delivery Suite Sister in Craigavon Area Hospital. I moved out into Community Midwifery initially to Brownlow and then to Armagh and Dungannon. I became the Team Leader for Armagh and Dungannon in 2016 and was there until I took up my current role as Lead Midwife for Continuity of Midwifery Carer. (CoMC)
I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to lead on the Regional design and implementation stage of introducing CoMC on behalf of the Trust.
I am very passionate about CoMC as it will be a way of working within Maternity Services that will provide integrated, appropriate and seamless care for all women through their journey from pregnancy and birth to the early parenting period.
While all pregnant women need a midwife, many women will also need an obstetrician. Women may also need to see a range of other specialists including doctors, mental health professionals, allied health professionals or specialist midwives and nurses, depending on their particular needs. All of this will be delivered within the new model which I am delighted about the inclusiveness for all women.
Suzanne, CoMC MidwifeI trained as a midwife 2016-2019 in Queens University, Belfast.
I then began working in Craigavon hospital since October 2019 in a variety of departments providing antenatal, intranatal and postnatal care to women and their babies.
I have also completed masters modules to assist with the care of women with complex needs. Principles of critical care in midwifery and plan to carry on my learning and complete more modules this year.
I am looking forward to joining the continuity of midwifery care team in April and providing care to women and their families throughout their pregnancy and birth journey, and I believe that this new model of care will support women’s decisions, offering choice and support from a team of midwives they have built up a relationship or bond with throughout their appointments.
Sarah, CoMC MidwifeI have worked in maternity for more than 8 years and qualified as a midwife in 2018. I have had experience in all areas including MLU where I enjoyed providing aromatherapy to women. I recently completed the continuity module in Queens and am excited about starting with the team.
Sarah CoMC MidwifeI have been a midwife with the Southern Trust since 2017. I began my career as a maternity support worker in 2009 within the trust and I am thrilled to be part of the first continuity of midwifery carer team. I have been fortunate to work across the whole of maternity in Craigavon Hospital. I am excited to start offering holistic, dedicated family centred care focusing on developing a relationship between myself and the families I care for across the whole pregnancy continuum.
Rebecca, CoMC MidwifeI have been a midwife for 7 years. I have worked within the delivery suite, the MLU and most recently the antenatal and postnatal ward in Craigavon Hospital.
Pregnancy and childbirth carry great excitement, as well as fears and uncertainty and continuity of carer and care can help aid this transition. I am so excited to be part of the first of these teams within the Southern trust.
Grace, CoMC MidwifeI started my healthcare career as a nurse in 2007. I have now been a midwife for 9 years. Midwifery is extremely rewarding and I feel very privileged to be with women and their families at such an important and special time in their lives. As its also a very vulnerable time for women I believe spending more time with them throughout their pregnancy, birth and postnatal period will help to improve their experiences, whilst building a relationship and rapport with them will help to make them feel more at ease. This is why am excited to be part of this new team.
Gillian, CoMC MidwifeI’ve been a midwife in the Southern Trust for 12 years.
I began my career as a nurse and worked in intensive care for a number of years. I enjoyed this and gained great experience, but midwifery was always my goal. I love my job. Even in it’s toughest times, especially those that we have all experienced over the last few years, I can’t think of anything else I’d rather be.
I am delighted to now be part of the CoMC team. Within this team, we will be able to offer dedicated support to women within the caseload right throughout their pregnancy, birth and postnatal period. The very definition of midwife is to be “with woman” and I feel that being in the CoMC team we are able to go right back to that core definition…being with women, offering them women centred, individualised care.
Briege, CoMC MidwifeI am delighted to be part of the first Continuity of Midwifery Carer team here in the Southern Trust.
Since starting with the trust 17 years ago, I have met many wonderful mothers and their families, and have cared for them during their birth.
As part of this new model, our small CoMC team will be able to provide midwifery care, dedicated to our caseload of women, from the start of their pregnancy, during their birth and postnatal period.
This will benefit women, not just with familiarity but improve their experience and build a relationship with their named midwife.
I started my career as a theatre nurse 21 years ago and moved into the profession of midwifery 3 years later, proudly following in the footsteps of the previous two generations of midwives in my family.
There have been many positive changes in midwifery care, I am looking forward to being part of this new change of care, and be able pass down a profession that is rewarding and valued.
Vicky, CoMC Maternity Support WorkerMy name is Vicky Moore and I am a Maternity Support Worker (MSW). I have 28 years’ experience in Maternity with 17 years in the hospital setting and 11 years in community which involved a local breastfeeding support group I facilitated every 3 weeks. I am a trained Maternity reflexologist and baby reflexology teacher. I have just undertaken my Hypnobirthing teaching training and am doing my baby massage teacher training in the near future. I am looking forward to continue to support and establish relationships with women and their families throughout pregnancy and postnatally in this role.
