Maternity team celebrated for workforce initiatives

Maternity staff at Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) have won an award in recognition of their investment in colleagues, helping to enhance staff satisfaction and patient experience.

The Maternity Leadership team was named as the winner of the Improving Safety on the Frontline by Investing in the Workforce Award, part of the UK MUM (Maternity Unit Marvels) Awards, run by charity Baby Lifeline, at an awards event on Thursday 13 March.

The award acknowledges how the Trust has focused on enhancing safety on the frontline through various initiatives and improvements in recent years. This includes:

• Increasing the number of Professional Midwifery Advocate (PMA) roles to better support midwives and support staff and ensure high standards of care. PMAs provide restorative clinical supervision, helping midwives to reflect on their practice, manage stress, and maintain their wellbeing
• The recruitment and development of internationally educated midwives focused on providing both sustainable pastoral and professional support to ensure their wellbeing and integration into the workforce
• Providing more staff wellbeing and psychological support
• Implementing a Workforce Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy, dedicating roles and initiatives to support diverse staff and create an inclusive environment
• Expanding the bereavement team and refurbishment of bereavement facilities to better support families experiencing loss

The judges said: "[OUH] has clearly made a serious commitment to supporting its staff. It is easy to underestimate the profound nature of working in maternity and this Trust in putting in psychiatric support has demonstrated its insight and dedication to patient safety in supporting all its staff in their wellbeing and mental health in a really commendable way."

Judges also recognised the initiatives as "a good multi-faceted application to workforce retention".

Representatives from the Trust, including Yvonne Christley (Chief Nursing Officer), Milica Redfearn (Director of Midwifery), Sharon Andrews (Head of Midwifery), and Ellie Mcintosh (PMA Lead) were presented with a commemorative plaque during the awards.

Sharon Andrews, Head of Midwifery and a Patient Safety Specialist at OUH, said: "We are over the moon at winning a MUM award. It feels so inspiring to be recognised for the hard work and dedication that has been put into developing the workforce that will ultimately keep our mums, babies, and staff safer."

Milica Redfearn, Director of Midwifery at OUH, said: "This recognition reflects our commitment to improving maternity services and supporting our staff. We have focused on creating a supportive and inclusive environment, which has led to improved staff satisfaction and better outcomes for our patients. We will continue to build on this success as we strive for excellence in all aspects of our work."

Yvonne Christley, Chief Nursing Officer at OUH, said: "We have demonstrated a strong commitment to improving safety on the frontline by investing in our workforce. Through continuous learning, professional development, and a culture of safety and support, significant strides have been made in enhancing maternity outcomes, providing high-quality care for women and their families and enhancing staff experience.

"This is evident in a reduced turnover rate and improved staff satisfaction measured through staff feedback. Well done to the Maternity Leadership team and thank you to them and all our Maternity staff for the care they deliver to families every single day."

Pictured, from right: Sharon Andrews, Yvonne Christley, Milica Redfearn, Ellie Mcintosh