« Previous | Contents | Next »
Listen
Implementing A Framework for Maternity Services in Scotland
Stakeholder Engagement
1. The Scottish Executive has emphasised the importance of involving stakeholders - commissioners, providers and users of services and the general public - in the planning, delivery and evaluation of services.
4 The
Framework for Maternity Services in Scotland, for instance, was based on wide consultation with professionals and users of services.
2. The consistent message from all stakeholders is the need to ensure maximum safety for women and their babies. But different stakeholders hold different perspectives and thresholds on safety, and this has dogged NHS Boards' attempts to achieve local consensus about the shape of local provision. The
Framework recommends a woman and baby-centred service with local access. Yet some NHS Boards have centralised provision in larger units, lowering risk thresholds at the cost of reducing local access.
3. The public must be informed and involved in discussions about reshaping services locally and nationally. Consensus must be achieved about the range of provision required to support choice, while not compromising on risk and quality. NHS Boards and Trusts should give high priority to involving stakeholders in every aspect of planning and developing maternity services in Scotland. Ways of doing this should be developed at local, regional and national level to facilitate this, building on current mechanisms and experience and developing new and creative ways for gathering and taking account of the views and experiences of women, their families and the wider public.
Principles |
4.1 The consultation processes on planning, delivery and evaluation of maternity services at local, regional and national levels should involve all key stakeholders - commissioners, providers and users of services, and the general public. |
4. All NHS Board areas should now have in place a Maternity Services Liaison Committee. These committees bring together maternity professionals with service users, members of the public and representatives of health councils to discuss local maternity issues. They serve to:
maintain links with current and recent users of maternity services, allowing women from all parts of the community to have an opportunity to comment on services
encourage and facilitate user involvement in maternity services
offer a vehicle for change and improvement, driven by suggestions coming directly from service-users.
Principles |
4.2 The role of Maternity Services Liaison Committees should be strengthened. 4.3 The National Health Council should consider bringing together representatives of local Maternity Services Liaison Committees to form a body with a strong voice for maternity care at national level. |
« Previous | Contents | Next »