Presentation by Dr Tracey Cooper, Head of Midwifery, Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust at the Maternity and Neonatal Learning System: patient and public involvement in improving maternity and services event on Wednesday 5 June at Haydock Park Racecourse.

2. The Midwifery Units ‘whose shoes’ event

3. The start:
 The Department of Health identified a training fund for NHS maternity
services to be administered through Health Education England (HEE)
(2016/17).
 The funding is intended to support maternity services in developing and
maintaining high standards of leadership, teamwork, communication,
clinical skills and a culture of safety whilst reducing maternal and fetal
harm.
 WHH Maternity Services were granted the maximum potential award of
£80,000.

4. A proportion of this award was spent on
‘Whose shoes’ .

5. Why it worked for us
 Parents and staff together in a relaxed environment.
 Personal stories provide a powerful way to begin and
set the tone.
 Everyone discusses the challenges and opportunities
as equals- ‘No hierarchy, just people’.
 The sessions are very action-focused-asking what
each person will do to improve things.

6. Prior to the event
 Liaising with the Trust
Engagement Team for support.
 Pledges prepared.
 Final confirmation of delegates.
 Seating plan prepared.
 Purchasing of additional
materials.
 Practising the ‘whose shoes’
game.

7. The event:
 Planned for the 4/7/17.
 Much Twitter activity around
the event.
 Early start to prepare the
venue and meet facilitators.
 Attendees introduced to the
concept and informed how to
play the game.

8. Who came:
 Administration staff.
 Obstetricians of various
grades.
 Midwives.
 Specialist Midwives.
 Head of Midwifery.
 CBU Manager
 Midwifery Support Workers.
 Women and their babies.
 Volunteers.
 Commissioners.
 Children’s centre managers.
 Neighbouring Trust
representatives.
 Allied Health Professionals.
 Student Midwives.

9. Play the game:
 Each table has a game. The
cards and poems help to
generate discussion and
enable the identification of
key themes.
 Themes arising are written on
post-its and then given to the
graphic artist to collate.

10. Some more pictures !

11. Pledges:
 Every attendee is asked to
make a pledge for change.
 These are collated post
event and individuals
contacted 4-6 weeks later
for an update on their
progress.

12. During the event:
 Facilitators collect the post-
it notes.
 The graphic artist produces
a bespoke piece of work
highlighting the key themes.

13. Actions following:
 Establish a working party to reflect and consider the
findings from the day and produce an action plan.
 Follow up on pledges.

14. How it Influenced Us
 Looked at each part individually and the pledges
 Broke it down and worked on each part
 Still working on it
 Made us think differently
 Attitudes and behaviours
 Influenced those who didn’t attend

15. Whats changed?
 Lithotomy challenge
 Changed our language
 Culture change- Respectful maternity care for all
 Listening
 Partners stay any time, including overnight
 Refreshments trolley for women and families
 CM supports bespoke planning supported by AD
 Improved booking process
 Improved telephone triage
 Training includes not just LW scenarios but home & BC, all staff groups