APPENDIX 10
Memorandum by Elizabeth Key
SUMMARY
A leaflet produced by mothers and health professionals
to increase awareness of choices in maternity care in Lancashire
failed to achieve its objectives through lack of support from
the NHS, GPs in particular.
1.1 am making this submission on an individual
basis since the organisations concerned have either been abolished
or are about to be abolished. As a member of the North West Lancashire
Maternity Services Liaison Committee and convenor of its Information
Sub Group, I was very concerned at our failure to disseminate
basic information on choices in maternity care to local women.
1.2 I have sent hard copies of the leaflet
by post for the committee's consideration. More can be supplied
if necessary.
2.1 The "Choices for Maternity Care"
leaflet was produced by the Information Sub-group of the North
West Lancashire Health Authority Maternity Services Liaison Committee
in 2001. It was drafted by a small group of local midwives and
mothers in order to provide factual, research-based and accessible
information for women in the HA area. The leaflet was assessed
in accordance with DISCERN guidelines and reviewed by a wide group
of service users. As the HA was unwilling to fund production costs
(under £400) this was undertaken by the Community Health
Councils in the area. It was only because I was a member of the
Preston CHC that the leaflet was eventually produced and distributed.
2.2 Distribution was organized by volunteers
to cover clinics, pharmacies and GP surgeries. It proved impossible
to use HA resources for this since none of the PCTs would support
the leaflet: the GPs were "not happy" with the wording
(though unable to supply specific examples or alternatives). Only
one of the four local maternity units agreed to supply a copy
to every mother booking in there. This unit continues to do so.
2.3 The leaflet was revised and reprinted
in March 2002, financed by two local CHCs. Again PCTs were unwilling
to help with distribution although one enterprising Health Visitor
organized supplies for the health clinics in one PCT area. There
is, unfortunately, no prospect of updating the leaflet at present.
2.4 Parts of the text (including the section
on home birth) were used by the commercial organisation "Health
Channel", which supplies health promotion videos for GP surgeries.
In this way the non-local information reached a nation-wide audience
in 2001.
3. Despite the low-key and factual nature
of the leaflet, even the mention of "home birth" and
the emphasis on the role of midwives were enough to ensure that
GP opposition prevented women from exercising choice, or even
knowing that they did have a choice.
RECOMMENDATION:
If the stated intentions of the NHS Plan to
provide prospective parents with unbiased, evidence-based information
on choices for maternity care in their local area, steps must
be taken to ensure that censorship is not exercised at PCT or
Acute Trust level.
June 2003
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