One of the MVP’s current working groups is focusing on ways to support women making decisions about their care during pregnancy and at birth. This will link in with the review of NHS Guidelines on Consent.
1. What do we want to happen?
We would like pregnant women and pregnant persons (and their family) to be fully involved in making decisions about their care and to be fully informed and consulted when having to give formal consent for care.
We would like healthcare professionals to include women and their family when making decisions related to their care, whether formal consent is required or not.
2. What have we done so far?
We ran an online survey about “making decisions about my care and giving consent” in September and October 2017 and received 3000 replies from women who had their baby in Lothian (in the last 5 years).
Many women and service users gave detailed feedback from their personal experience. Our new page: Responding To Your Comments explains what action we have taken as a result of this feedback.
The full survey report, MVP Research – Women’s Experience on Consent, is now available. It presents a detailed analysis of the responses we received. Also included below are the comments made by women about their personal experience of discussing their care and of making decisions.
MVP Research – Women’s Experience on Consent
We have used the report to highlight best practice for discussing care options and have shared this with healthcare professionals.
We have used the report to determine areas for improvement and agreed three lines of action. First, to ask healthcare professionals to use accessible and inclusive language when discussing care options and to avoid certain medical terminology that could cause misunderstanding or anxiety. Second, to develop a decision making aid. Third, to agree a template for a ‘welcome discussion’ to be had on arrival to the labour ward.
3. What are we doing next?
We are developing new support documents and resources for women and birthing people to express their personal choices for their Personal Care Plan during Labour and Birth. A new template will be trialled in 2024.
We designed a sticker with a list of questions to support decision-making based on the well-known acronym BRAIN. NHS Lothian midwives are now giving everyone this sticker at their first midwifery appointment. Poster-size versions of the stickers are displayed in the main clinical areas in NHS Lothian Maternity Services.
This website provides further information on informed consent.
