Waterhouse , C, Lythgoe, J and Wray, J 2012, 'Enhanced midwifery in the Salford 'new deal' community' , British Journal of Midwifery , 20 (12) , pp. 878-882. (In Press)

PDF Restricted to Repository staff only Download (535kB) | Request a copy

Abstract

The ‘Enhanced Midwifery Service’ was a project to improve the health and wellbeing of pregnant women and new mothers beyond the ‘routine’ service within the ‘New Deal’ area of Salford. It started in 2008 and was funded for 2 years. It included the introduction of a community midwifery assistant offering individualised support: stop smoking support, parenting and breastfeeding support, which aimed to reduce isolation; specialised midwifery advice and support for women identified as anaemic. The project demonstrated the high value women placed on the individualised support, showing value for money from how the simple interventions of time and information helped women to have a more positive pregnancy experience, helping them become confident parents, in better health and more able to cope with the social and psychological challenges of life. It demonstrated the need for health professionals to ensure women understand the importance of a healthy diet and treat anaemia effectively. The mainstreaming of services confirmed its success.

Actions (login required)