We recently invited BBC Radio Shropshire’s Jim Hawkins to come and have a look around our maternity unit at Princess Royal Hospital to see some of the changes we’ve been making.
When our Consultant Obstetrician and Clinical Director Obstetrics, Mei-See Hon, and I sat down to speak to Jim afterwards, we discussed the commitment and dedication of maternity staff in delivering care that puts women at the heart of our improvement journey.
We are proud that through the recruitment of further Consultants we now provide 24/7 resident Consultant cover on our delivery suite, something which I believe we are the only Trust in the country to be providing. This is a huge investment for us and, crucially, it means we can provide the same standard of care, no matter the time, day and night.
We also have a unique Birth Preferences Card, co-produced with our Maternity Voices Partnership that ensures women’s choices are understood and acted upon leading up to, and during, labour. The easy-to-understand visual guide is now displayed in a large format in every birthing room in the Delivery Suite and Midwife-Led Unit for expectant mums and maternity staff to view and complete together.
Two of my colleagues Dr Kevin Eardley, a Consultant Physician and Nephrologist, and Lisa Walker, a Quality Matron, have also made a star appearance in a video by the British Forces Broadcasting Services which outlines the fantastic work that is going on at Trusts, including our own, to be ‘Veteran Aware’.
Both Kevin, a Major with 202 Field Hospital, and Lisa, a retired Reservist Major, are passionate about aiming to improve services for veterans as patients and colleagues and serving members of the Armed Forces.
They speak about the work they are doing at our Trust in the video to identify members of the Armed Forces and veterans and give them any help that is required. The video highlights the recent Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance conference in Birmingham, where best practice from trusts was shared. The video can be watched on: How the Armed Forces and NHS are teaming up for veteran healthcare
This year’s William Farr Memorial Lecture also focuses on the wonderful work being done by staff and volunteers in our hospitals and community for our military community.
It will celebrate the life and work of Florence Nightingale and volunteers like her during the Crimean and American Civil wars, and then highlighting the similarities to people’s response to today’s challenges including COVID-19.
The event is on Wednesday 30 November 6-9pm at Shropshire Education and Conference Centre (SECC). For more details or to book for the event click here.