Changes tempt mums back

Sweeping changes to the system and a drop in perinatal mortality sent out the message that Burnley was a safe place to have your baby, the annual meeting of Burnley Health Care NHS Trust was told.

Karen Lynas, service manager for women and children's health, said that three years ago maternity services in Burnley were in some difficulty with fewer women choosing to have their babies in Burnley.

"Women were choosing to go elsewhere,'' she said, adding that the East Lancashire Health Authority withdrew £180,000 of funding because of the reduced numbers. Burnley then adopted a national initiative "Changing Childbirth'' which brought about big changes and a full review of all care.

Antenatal visits were revised and the maternity service in Rossendale was developed.

Wards were renovated and team midwifery introduced. Women were given more choice in antenatal care with more care at home and in the community, a day assessment unit was introduced and dedicated antenatal and post natal wards were formed.

Revised policies allowing nature "to do its stuff'' - shorter hospital stays, more home births, a team approach to post natal care, which was second to none, a dedicated ward with en suite facilities and better support at home - had all contributed to the success of the initiative.

"More women are coming back to Burnley for the first time in ten years. It is slow progress but we are regaining confidence again,'' she added.

Deborah Carter, midwife, and Sally Kay, health visitor, spoke about the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative and the huge importance both to babies and mothers of breast feeding.

Paediatrician Peter Ehrhardt cautioned against putting too much emphasis on one year's figures telling Mrs Ramsden it was factually totally incorrect that perinatal mortality was higher now than 30 or so years ago.

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