Baby unit at Downe is best in Province says new report

Baby unit at Downe is best in Province says new report

8 June 2016

DOWNPATRICK’S midwife-led maternity unit is in line for a significant boost.

A detailed report due to be published by health chiefs within the next few weeks will confirm the baby unit based at the Downe Hospital is the best of its kind in the Province in terms quality, safety, positivity of patient experience and shortness of stay.

The independent report was undertaken by the Health and Social Care Board’s Leadership Centre which carried out an in-depth review of midwife-led provision in Downpatrick including ante and post-natal care.

The review was ordered by the South Eastern Local Commissioning Group which is responsible for assessing and planning the health needs of local people to evaluate the service in Downpatrick.

The report will reveal that only the low number of births at the unit keeps the fixed costs higher than high volume birthing centres, while other issues it will flag up include lack of publicity and awareness of the unit as well as “excessive caution” by local GPs not referring women to it. Overall, the report will confirm that the safety record of midwife-led services is better than consultancy-led services.

Those behind the report insist it was commissioned to move the Downpatrick facility forward, to examine what works, what does not work so well and what needs to be done differently. The review team said the evaluation was not about the unit’s finances or its viability.

Local mums, midwives and health campaigners have been united in their unequivocal support for the unit and have urged more women to use the ultra-modern facility and for more GPs to refer expectant mothers to it. They say there is overwhelming support for the unit.

The Down Community Health Committee says the midwife unit is an “essential element” of health provision in the area and is a service delivered by excellent midwives which is greatly valued by local people.

The group’s chairman, Mr Eamonn McGrady, said he is “absolutely delighted” with the independent third party recognition for the excellence of the service being provided to the community by local midwives.

“The post and ante natal care which is also being provided in the Downe is an essential element of service provision in our wonderful new hospital, which is the people’s hospital,” he said.

“We are very keen that mothers will increasingly become aware of the excellent service available on their doorstep. When they become aware, we are confident that more and more of them will utilise the service, rather than travel unnecessarily to any of the massive baby units in Belfast.”

Mr McGrady said it is very important that GPs ensure this issue is kept to the fore and that they always keep in mind the importance of providing appropriate services locally.

“During the public meeting held in March, attended by a number of mums and their babies, one of the women pointed out that giving birth is a totally natural event and the less medical intervention is necessary the better,” he said. “Many mothers who end up delivering their babies in the major units in Belfast do not have any need of consultant or doctor intervention as the midwives are doing the work.”

Mr McGrady is also keen for the South Eastern Trust to publicise the Downpatrick midwife unit to help increase the number of women using it.

He added: “There is a responsibility upon us all to continue to build confidence in the services that are available at the Downe. The Trust, in partnership with GPs and the local community, need to do that.

“The most important thing is that women become aware of the excellent experience that so many mothers are already having when they give birth in Downpatrick. Eighty six per cent of referrals to the midwife unit are able to deliver there, only 14 per cent of women go to Belfast and just four per cent of these require significant medical intervention.”