ENHANCING DIVERSITY AND ACCESSIBILITY IN UHCW MATERNITY SERVICES
11 July 2024
Area(s) of focus: Develop, grow and invest in our workforce, culture and clinical and professional leadership
Why Change was Needed
UHCW maternity services, rated "good" overall with an "outstanding" for leadership, serves a diverse, multicultural population with high levels of social deprivation. A workforce review highlighted a disparity: only 8% of midwives were from an ethnic minority background compared to 33% of the local population.
What We Did
- Diverse Recruitment: The trust worked to recruit midwives from different communities and launched an inclusive international recruitment programme in collaboration with two other trusts.
- Unconscious Bias Training: Offered to existing staff as part of the Trust’s maternity equity and equality plan.
- OSCE Training Programme: Developed by Practice Facilitator midwives for internationally recruited midwives, leveraging their own experiences of joining the NHS from abroad.
- Holistic Support Package: Recruited two Practice Educators to provide pastoral support, local area tours, hospital accommodation, mobile phones, social groups, and events to aid integration.
- Supernumerary Support: Provided clinical preceptor support and a tailored preceptorship programme to help internationally-educated midwives gain clinical and cultural competence.
Outcomes
- Successful Recruitment: 37 midwives have been appointed and have completed their OSCEs, leading the region in recruitment and pass rates.
- Cultural Integration: Improved representation within the midwifery workforce and better integration of international recruits.
Addressing Barriers for Asylum Seekers and Refugees:
- Multi-Agency Workshop: Led by Coventry City Council and UHCW, discussed issues raised by Healthwatch Coventry and Carriers of Hope, resulting in an action plan.
- New Initiatives:
- Direct email referral route for women not registered with a GP.
- Mobile iPad translation support in the maternity unit.
- Enhanced communication between agencies and improved access to information.
- Asylum Seekers now have a dedicated midwife in place to support women and families.
- Volunteer Buddy System: Some study participants now volunteer to support other women.
Impact
These initiatives have improved access to maternity care, reduced cultural barriers, and enhanced the overall patient experience for a diverse patient population.