New maternity standards to improve consistency and quality of
care.
Clear information about the standards women and their families
can expect during their maternity care has been published by
Healthcare Improvement Scotland.
The standards set out that patients should receive safe and
compassionate care throughout pregnancy, birth and the postnatal
period, regardless of where they live or their individual
circumstances, and that care should be responsive to each woman's
individual needs.
The standards cover all aspects of maternity care, from antenatal
appointments through to postnatal support, emergency care, mental
health and wellbeing, and bereavement care. They apply across all
settings, including hospitals, community services, midwifery
units, and home births, and support NHS boards to actively work
to reduce health inequalities and improve outcomes for women and
their babies.
Once implemented, Healthcare Improvement Scotland will use the
standards to drive this improvement, informing inspection and
assurance activities across NHS boards.
Public Health and Women's Health Minister said:
"The safety of women and babies is paramount.
"We commissioned Healthcare Improvement Scotland to develop the
Maternity Care Standards, and I am grateful for their work to
improve the quality and consistency of maternity care for women,
babies, and families across Scotland.
“Every woman deserves to feel safe, supported and listened to
during pregnancy and beyond. These standards recognise that some
women face additional barriers to getting the care they need and
set out a clear commitment to making sure maternity services work
equally well for everyone — whatever their background or
circumstances.”
Melissa Dowdeswell, Director of Nursing and Integrated Care,
Healthcare Improvement Scotland, said:
“We are pleased to have published maternity care standards that
set clear expectations for how maternity care should be delivered
in Scotland.
“The standards aim to promote consistency and improve the quality
of maternity services across the country. They set out a
blueprint for what good maternity care looks like and detail the
levels of high-quality care and support that all women should
expect to receive before, during and after birth.
“During the development of the standards, we spoke to women from
many different backgrounds, who shared their experiences of being
pregnant and giving birth in Scotland. Their voices were central
to the creation of the standards.
“We heard that women need to feel confident that a high-level of
safe, effective and person-centred care will be consistently
delivered in all maternity units across Scotland regardless of
individual circumstances or needs. The development of these
standards is a commitment to making sure this happens.”
Background
Healthcare Improvement Scotland was commissioned by Scottish
Government to develop the standards in partnership with NHS
boards, clinical professionals, and people with lived experience
of maternity services.
The standards apply to all women receiving maternity care in
Scotland from early pregnancy up to six weeks after birth. They
ensure every woman has a named primary midwife throughout their
pregnancy, providing consistent, personalised care that puts
their needs, rights and choices first.
Further information is available at: Maternity care standards –
Healthcare Improvement Scotland
