RD&E Maternity services rated highly by local mums

Maternity services at the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust have been rated highly by mums in the 2017 National Maternity Survey. The Trust performed well across the survey, and has been rated as one of the top performing nationally.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) survey asked women about their experience of antenatal care, care during labour and birth, and postnatal care. It was sent to more than 18,000 women who gave birth in February 2017 in services run by 130 NHS trusts across the country.

Responses were received from 155 mothers who were cared for by RD&E midwives. Maternity services are provided by the Trust at Wonford Hospital, Tiverton, Okehampton and Honiton.

A score of 9.1, out of a maximum of 10, was given to questions about the mums’ experiences of labour and birth. RD&E staff were also rated highly at 8.9 and as was the care mums’ received after birth at 7.5. 

The Trust was one of the highest performing in the country for mothers feeling that they had the opportunity to be more active when in labour, with 81% stating they were able  to move around and choose a position that made them most comfortable. More women also reported having a water birth and far fewer women had to give birth lying down with their legs in stirrups. This reflects how the RD&E promotes choice and supports women to adopt the positions following their natural birthing instincts in labour.

RD&E mums were also particularly impressed with the cleanliness of the wards and were pleased to be able to be discharged from hospital swiftly and without delay. Both indicators saw the Trust exceed the national average for these areas.

Zita Martinez, Head of Midwifery at the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are thrilled with the most recent CQC survey results which demonstrate the hard work and commitment of our teams to provide safe, high quality care for our patients. This survey creates an ideal opportunity for us to gain valuable feedback to help us make improvements and ensure our service is receptive to the experiences of women and their families locally.”

To see the RD&E results in more detail please visit the CQC website   www.cqc.org.uk