DMC midwives/the Lanes

[Fuschia]

Since my difficulties with the admin at the Lanes (which led to me not getting booked at 12 weeks) I had a reassuring meeting with the supervisor of midwives, I alerted her to the fact several other women from the EDF have contacted me with similar experiences, and this is what she said:

"Thanks for the two follow up information e mails of other women?s experiences. I have passed them on to Kate and to The Lanes midwives. As you know any concerns about our service are rigorously reviewed through the Trust Complaints processes. Errors sadly do occur and everyone involved regrets this, usually acknowledges the resulting distress and any harm if it has occurred. The Trust actively learns from this trying to prevent reoccurrence.

I think it important to say to you and would ask that this is clarified in any discussions you have with friends or other local women that: -

Since The Lanes Midwifery Practice has started at Dulwich Medical Centre there has been a significant increase in the number of women registered with DMC who are pregnant (this reflects the 36% increase in birthrate at King?s since 2002). The Lanes Midwifery Practice was set up for the number of pregnant women at that time and is not resourced to provide a safe level of their model of service to the unexpected increase in additional pregnant women. Prior to establishing this midwifery practice, pregnant women at DMC received continuity of antenatal care from the same midwife who provided all midwifery antenatal care at the surgery at specific antenatal clinic sessions weekly.

The Lanes midwives recognized that the birth rate was increasing at DMC also that they cannot provide a 24hour midwifery service with continuity of care safely to meet the requirements of the additional number of pregnant women and families. The initial provision to meet the increased demand is that an additional midwife now provides antenatal clinic sessions every week in Dulwich Hospital and works closely with The Lanes. This is to ensure that women at least have continuity of midwifery carer antenatally. The women who have this provision are also able to plan a home birth and will have their labour care provided by our excellent Community Midwifery service that is also very skilled at supporting women at home.

Until additional midwifery resource can be secured from Commissioners of our maternity service this means that for women who are registered with DMC

They are all offered continuity of midwifery care antenatally

They are all offered a choice of place of birth including homebirth

They are all provided with midwives who are skilled and confident in supporting and caring for women who plan a homebirth

Women who are not booked with The Lanes midwives will not necessarily know the midwife who cares for them in labour. Those who plan a homebirth are invited to ?a meet the community midwives? meeting later in their pregnancy. Those who are planning a hospital birth are all offered antenatal and parenting preparation sessions organized by Hospital Antenatal Midwifery services.

Women booked with The Lanes midwives usually know the midwife who supports them in labour whether it is in hospital or at home. The exception is as in any other part our service if staff are unable to work for any reason (sickness, professional development, maternity leave etc)

As a service we have been working relentlessly for several years with our hospital Trust and local Primary Care Trust to increase the number of Midwifery Group Practices which are most likely to provide continuity of midwifery care and a known midwife to women throughout their maternity care. We have also done the same to increase the overall number of midwives to provide good quality and safe maternity care throughout all parts of the service, in the hospital based facilities and visiting women and their babies at home. This has and continues to be a challenge to catch up with the ever increasing birth rate locally.

We are very happy that DMC has The Lanes Midwifery Practice which was a new group practice started as a direct result of successful bid for additional funding to meet the increased birth rates and to provide women with better care and midwives with a job that is both attainable and enjoyable.

We realise that this is disappointing but the situation for pregnant and postnatal women at DMC is similar to that for all women receiving midwifery care at King?s.

Some women are with Midwifery Group Practices (We have 10 Midwifery Group Practices, two of which started late in 2008 after had new funding. One was The Lanes)

Some women are with Community Midwives Teams who provide midwifery antenatal care usually in GP surgeries; homebirth labour care; postnatal care at home

Some women are with the Hospital Antenatal Midwives attending ?The Midwives House?. They will have their labour and hospital based postnatal care with hospital midwifery team and their postnatal care at home with the Community Midwives

Most pregnant women at DMC are with The Lanes midwives and some have antenatal continuity from the midwife linked to The Lanes who provides care at the weekly clinic at Dulwich Hospital. I acknowledge how disappointing it is for anyone who expects to be with The Lanes midwives and finds that this service is not available for them early in their pregnancy and are on a ?waiting list?.

We continue to strive to provide a safe and acceptable midwifery and maternity service to all women and babies within the resources which we have been given. We continue to work persistently with the hospital Trust and our local PCT to both increase maternity staffing levels and physical facilities both in the hospital and in the community where we can provide the maternity service.

We welcome your feedback and particularly value local women who use or have used King?s maternity services to be involved in planning new services and improving current services. If you or any of your friends would be interested in this, please contact me."

[duchessofdulwich]

why dont they open a midwife led birthing unit at dulwich hospital?

[duchessofdulwich]

there is clearly an increase demand for maternity services in this area.