Today (17 September) is world patient safety day and the focus this year is on safe maternal and newborn care.
Our maternity team at the RVI deliver over 6000 babies each year and the safety of mums and babies is our first priority. The team work with specialists across the Trust to make sure that those with complex needs receive care tailored to their needs.
Find out more about our team of quality and safety midwives at Newcastle Hospitals and the work they do to support patients and staff.
Rhona Collis, Lead Midwife of Quality and Clinical Effectiveness
“The importance of safe maternal and newborn care has been particularly prominent in the UK in recent years. As a result we have invested in our services and our team of senior midwives has worked hard to support a renewed focus on improving maternal and newborn safety. We work closely with staff and women to share lessons we can from and things that have worked well.”
Jeanette Allen, Senior Risk Management Midwife
“I recently joined the Clinical Governance and Risk Team and as a team we focus on patient safety and quality of care. I care passionately about making sure our maternity services provide high quality, safe and inclusive care. Our team seeks continuous improvement by reviewing and analysing the care provided to ensure it is safe and effective. Part of my role is to liaise with external safety investigators to review and seek improvements to the care we provide. We also involve parents in our process so that we can inform and improve our services as the safety of families is central to everything we do.”
Jess Shaw, Senior Risk Management Midwife
“As part of the Clinical Governance and Risk Team, one key aspect of my role is to lead on the review process for women who have suffered a pregnancy loss. An essential part of this process is engaging with parents, helping to support them through the review process and making sure that they have an opportunity to contribute. This process is essential at improving safety for women and their babies as it allows us time to review care provided and an opportunity to learn and improve future care.”
Stephanie Rollinson, Risk Management Midwife
“My role is to work with families affected by certain incidents but also to support staff in their learning relating to investigations, with feedback and action plans. I feel that as a team we are doing our part to provide a better, safer environment and overall safer birthing experience for mothers and their families. I do believe we are making a real difference with safer care in the short time we’ve been together.”
Elly Crozier, Specialist Midwife for Fetal Surveillance
“I am the Lead Midwife for Fetal Surveillance and my role focuses on the Saving Babies’ Lives Care Bundle. This bundle continues our work of improving safety for women and their babies, it focusses on five key areas: reducing smoking in pregnancy, awareness and care of reduced fetal movements, monitoring fetal growth, fetal heart rate interpretation and prevention and management of preterm birth. I work with staff across our unit to ensure the care women and their families receive is of the highest standard, in keeping with these safety targets.”
Claire Lisle, Lead Midwife for Public Health
“I work closely with the Clinical Governance and Risk Midwives ensuring the safety of women and babies within my role as Lead Midwife for Public Health. My role involves work on smoking in pregnancy, perinatal and infant mental health, vaccinations, maternal healthy weight, alcohol use and infant feeding.
Addressing all of these areas has significant impact on the safety of Mums and babies and I am passionate about all women having access to high quality, safe maternity care.”
