Jersey (UK) Gets Maternity 'Gold Medal'

Main Category: Pregnancy / Obstetrics
Article Date: 03 Sep 2008 - 3:00 PDT

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Jersey General Hospital and leading maternity information charity, MIDIRS, formed a winning team following the recent signing of a contract, whereby every midwife and pregnant woman in Jersey will gain access to all 25 topics of the MIDIRS newly reviewed Informed Choice resource, thus setting a gold standard for others to follow.

The hospital is the first to secure delivery of the entire resource since the recent completion of the Informed Choice biennial review, a robust and comprehensive methodology process which involves the systematic review and critical appraisal of the research evidence, upon which the information is based.

As a result, MIDIRS will supply Jersey General Hospital with up to 30,000 Informed Choice leaflets per year, ensuring that pregnant women, new mothers and their families are presented with the best evidence-based information surrounding maternity care. In addition, every practising midwife in Jersey will be issued with a complete set of both the women's and professionals' leaflets.

MIDIRS Business Manager, Andy Fisher, said 'We are delighted that Jersey Hospital has made the decision to purchase MIDIRS Informed Choice. The methodology involved in the review that each leaflet undergoes, is second to none. This, combined with the addition of four new titles, has resulted in a fantastic new resource that is accessible in a variety of formats ranging from electronic to traditional print media'.

'With increased demands for Trusts to demonstrate high standards in delivering best practice and the constant improvement of patient care, we are hoping that this will be an incentive to other Trusts to follow Jersey's lead, thus ensuring pregnant women, new mothers and their families are fully informed about the choices open to them during their pregnancy and birth'.

Elaine Torrance, Head of Midwifery at Jersey General Hospital, added 'We are very excited that we can now give Jersey women and their families the best possible opportunity to make informed decisions during pregnancy. We currently support over 1,000 women each year during pregnancy and birth. The fact that each midwife and pregnant woman will gain access to the Informed Choice resource is a huge bonus, and will go a long way in helping us continue to meet the high standard of individualised care that we aim to deliver'.

Notes

1. MIDIRS is a Bristol based not-for-profit organisation offering a complete information service to all health professionals, non-statutory agencies or anyone involved in the care of women and their babies during and after pregnancy. Its organisational mission is 'to be the leading international information resource relating to childbirth and infancy, disseminating this information as widely as possible to assist in the improvement of maternity care'. Over 32,870 customers worldwide trust MIDIRS services to support their education, practice and professional development. Through a continuing commitment to information access, MIDIRS aims to help health professionals provide mothers and babies with the best possible care.

2. MIDIRS Informed Choice is a comprehensive set of 25 titles which examine key decisions facing expectant mothers during pregnancy. There are two leaflets for each topic, one for pregnant women and one for health professionals. The women's leaflets are designed to assist them in making informed choices, by providing the facts to help them make decisions that are right for them in their pregnancy. The professional leaflets aim to provide midwives with sound evidence upon which to base their practice.

3. Jersey Maternity and Neonatal Unit has a delivery rate of just over 1,000 births per year. It provides a full range of maternity services including intensive Neonatal Care. The average age of women birthing in Jersey is 34, yet more women over the age of 40 are having babies than under the age of 20. The main languages spoken in Jersey are English, Portuguese and Polish. GP services are private in Jersey and many women will receive the majority of their antenatal care from their GP. There are 40 WTE (whole time equivalent) midwives supported by HCAs (health care assistants) and nursery nurses. Jersey has one of the lowest perinatal mortality rates in the British Isles.

MIDIRS