Wirral community midwife team wins top UK award

A team of midwives from Wirral has won one of the UK's top midwifery prizes at the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) Annual Awards. The Birkenhead Community Midwife Team from from Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, which manages Wirral Women and Children's Hospital at Arrowe Park, scooped the Innovation in Midwifery Award for their 'Mums and Midwives' Shop project.

The award, sponsored by Philips AVENT, was presented at the Ninth Royal College of Midwives Annual Midwifery Awards at a ceremony on 19th January 2011, at the Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington, London.

Opened in 2010 and based in The Grange Shopping Centre in Birkenhead, the 'Mums and Midwives' shop is open five days a week.  Managed by Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and staffed by a team of community midwives, it provides local women with an easily accessible place in the community where they can get advice on a range of pregnancy and postnatal issues.

As well as accessing the shop for routine matenity care and antenatal checks, mums and mums to be can drop into the shop at any time.  The community midwives are now seeing up to 30 women a day providing antenatal care and pre-conception advice, relaxation tips suchs as yoga and a range of other information.  They also see dads to be and anxious grandparents calling in for advice. 

Linda Birch, Head of Midwifery at the Trust, which manages the Wirral Women and Children's Hospital at Arrowe Park, said: "Since it opened in 2010, the shop has firmly established itself and has proved to be very popular with women.

"We have been overwhelmed by the positive feedback that we have received from women saying how much they appreciate the opportunity to see a midwife whenever they need, in such a wonderful open shop facility. "It's also a welcoming place where mums can seek general feeding, as well as breastfeeding advice, access the immediate support of professionals and can breastfeed their babies in comfort. "

Cathy Warwick, General Secretary of the Royal College of Midwives, said: "This award highlights the important, innovative and pioneering work being done in Wirral, and demonstrates the value of midwifery care. It is important for people to know that midwifery practice does not stand still and is responsive to the needs of the local population. "

"When midwives are given the resources, support and freedom to develop their work, the result is better services, better care and better outcomes for mothers, babies and their families."

Carina Leney from Philips AVENT added "We were really pleased to see how Jemma and Tina are supporting all new mums in the community.  Their project is a great example of innovation borne out of a real understanding of the challenges many new families face and we're looking forward to seeing how this initiatiative can grow and help new mums nationwide."

Linda Birch added: "The shop's success is a testament to the vision, drive and dedication of our midwives - they truly deserve the praise and recognition that they will receive as a result of this prestigious award."

Feeding the imagination

Philips AVENT has launched a new Toddler Mealtime range with fun, story-telling designs, created with a leading Child Psychologist, Dr Gillian Harris and Nutritionist Dr Judy More, to make mealtimes easier.

As Health Visitors and parents can attest, it can be hard to keep toddlers focused when they eat, so we have developed ergonomically designed bowls, plates, cups and cutlery for children aged six months plus. The images have been designed to encourage an appreciation of healthy nutrition, and the pieces in the range develop in complexity as the child grows, taking them from pureed foods to family meals and ensuring they are both well fed and entertained as they hone their eating skills.

The range's main character 'Truman the Rabbit' - was borne out of discussions with Dr Harris who provided direction on the look and feel which included large features (eyes, ears etc), stimulating colours to engage children and progressive complexity in the designs for learning shapes, numbers and so on.

All the products have easy grip handles and anti-slip bases so there is less sliding across surfaces and they are microwaveable and dishwasher safe.

Families in your care will be able to create their own fun interactive adventures by visiting www.philips.couk/avent-toddler and help their child learn about food. Along the way they will also be able to pick up some tasty and nutritious recipe ideas to try with their youngsters!