WIREDGOV

Maternity Care Survey 2018 publishes.

More than 90% of women rated their care during labour and birth as ‘excellent’ or ‘good’, according to the latest Scottish Maternity Care Survey.

The 2018 survey, which includes the experiences of 2,000 women, shows that 90% rated their antenatal care positively, while 91% had positive experiences during labour and birth.

Out of those who needed neonatal care, 95% were positive about the service they received.

When it came to postnatal care, 82% of women were positive about the hospital care they received, while 90% rated the care they received at home as positive.

Last month the Scottish Government announced a £12 million package to transform maternity and neonatal services across Scotland. This includes a new model for neonatal care, which is currently being tested by two health boards, as well as a range of initiatives to give mothers and other family members the support they need.

A further £50 million to improve access to mental health support for women who experience mental health problems during and after their pregnancy was announced by the First Minister earlier this month.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman yesterday said:

“Patient feedback like this is crucial, as it highlights what we are doing well and where we need to focus our plans for improvement. Our maternity and neonatal teams across the country provide an excellent level of care for women and their families.

“As I announced in February, we are investing £12 million to further improve these services. This includes plans for all expectant mums to receive care from a primary midwife, alongside a small team, for their whole maternity journey, and support to help parents with babies in neonatal units to provide as much day-to-day care for their new-born as possible.

“Our £50 million commitment for perinatal mental health meanwhile will create support for an additional 11,000 women who experience mental health problems during and after their pregnancy.

“We are committed to providing all mums, babies and their families with the highest quality of care according to their needs, backed by this investment.”

Background

The Maternity Care Survey was launched in 2013 and asks women across Scotland about their experiences of maternity care services, from antenatal care through to postnatal care at home and in the community.

This is the third iteration of the Maternity Care Survey in Scotland, previous surveys were run in 2013 and 2015. This is the first one to include questions on neonatal care.

Since the last survey, the policy landscape in Scotland has shifted significantly with the publication of The Best Start.

This survey was issued after the publication of The Best Start plan, but it was too early for the roll-out of the delivery of The Best Start recommendations to be reflected in the survey results.

Best Start announcement

Perinatal Mental Health announcement