Maternity Voices Partnership Network for London

Topic area – service user involvement Description of innovation In 2016, a social media network was created for service users on maternity services liaison committees (MSLCs) in south London. MSLCs are transitioning into... [ view full abstract ]

Topic area – service user involvement

Description of innovation

In 2016, a social media network was created for service users on maternity services liaison committees (MSLCs) in south London. MSLCs are transitioning into Maternity Voices Partnerships, as Better Births (NHS England, 2016) is implemented in England (NHS England, 2017), with a strong focus on co-production. The network was initiated by the author, KCL maternity patient and public involvement (PPI) lead, CLAHRC South London, (Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care), funded by NHS National Institute for Health Research. The 10 MSLCs across the patch had not been mapped or connected explicitly. MSLCs were created in the UK as multi-disciplinary forums in the 1980s to improve inter-professional working and provide structured involvement of service users in maternity services.

An active network would facilitate opportunities for PPI in CLAHRC maternity research studies. The author knew that service users who lead MSLCs often feel isolated or unclear about how to address practical challenges they experience in working for optimal birth (eg achieving quality information for local parents, and home birth, midwifery units and continuity of carer services).

A Facebook group was created, led by a volunteer moderator and the author, and a database of contacts created. All services users on MSLCs are encouraged to register. They are welcomed and invited to ‘tell their story’, about what motivated them to get involved as an MSLC member or chair.  The role of chair is a considerable commitment requiring a range of skills and a degree of personal confidence. Experience of chairing a committee, good listening skills, self awareness, ability to think strategically, ability to read and understand detailed maternity information with NHS management jargon, clinical terms and abbreviations, are all helpful. Most of those who make the commitment are passionate about the importance of pregnancy, birth, early weeks of motherhood and improving maternity services. Many are ‘persistent childbirth activists’ (Gene Declerqc, Sydney Normal Birth Conference, 2016), though they may not like to use the term ‘activist’.

Informal meetings are also held at a central location, bi-monthly by popular demand, at which young children are welcome. Maternity researchers frequently attend for discussion of issues and questions. Research events, meetings and participation requests are shared via the Facebook group.

Discussion

The network has proved popular and sustainable as a community of interest encompassing maternity services as well as research. This fits well with CLAHRC objectives and has potential to be a cultural facilitator of optimal childbirth. The network has recently been extended, following a pan-London meeting of 20 service users, plus commissioners and researchers showing the #AlwaysAsk video. The ‘London MVP Network’, is now for service users activists across the capital.

Conclusion

There are potential synergies between service user involvement in maternity services and PPI in research. Strategies to strengthen one, can also strengthen the other. Social media provides a means for engaging and involving women in employment and those at home with young children.