Table 1 Benchmarks of safe and effective maternity care
Year | Publication | Standard |
|---|---|---|
2009 | KCND Maternity Care Pathways [8] | Multidisciplinary maternity risk assessment and care pathways Antenatal: Midwife first point of contact clinician who conducts initial risk assessment recommends clinically appropriate care pathway 9 antenatal visits in first and 7 antenatal visits in second and subsequent pregnancy up to 40 weeks. Labour: Continuous assessment, appropriate birth environment and reduction of inappropriate interventions. Postnatal: Continuity of carer and person centred care plans. |
2010 | NHS Scotland Healthcare Quality Strategy [11] | Healthcare Quality Ambitions. Safe: no avoidable injury or harm to people from the healthcare they receive. Effective: appropriate treatments; interventions; support and services will be provided at the right time to those who will benefit and harmful variation will be eradicated. |
2011 | Birthplace Study [44] | National evidence of 21.9% transfer rate in labour from freestanding CMU to Obstetric Unit. |
2011 | The Refreshed Framework for Maternity Care [12] | Ten Principles of Maternity Care, but no specific benchmarks offered. Key Quality Indicators: Assets based and outcomes focussed maternity services aiming to improve the equity and quality of maternity care |
2014 | Health Efficiency and Access Target [13] | Antenatal Access: “At least 80% of pregnant women in each SIMD quintile will have booked for antenatal care by the 12th week of gestation by March 2015. |
2016 | NICE [3] | Antenatal guidance: Women are supported to access antenatal care, ideally by 10 weeks. Antenatal care should take place in a location that women can easily access. Intrapartum guidance: Women in established labour should have one-to - one care and support from an assigned midwife. |
2015 | Healthcare Improvement Scotland: Maternity and Children Quality Improvement Collaborative [15] | Reduce the incidence of avoidable harm in women and babies by 30% by 2015. |
2016 | Better Births [16] | Continuity of carer: “to ensure safe care based on a relationship of mutual trust and respect in line with the woman’s decisions. Every woman should have a midwife, who is part of a small team of 4 to 6 midwives, based in the community who knows the women and family, and can provide continuity throughout the pregnancy, birth and postnatally”. Safer Care: “professionals working together across boundaries to ensure rapid referral and access to the right care in the right place”. |