Your feedback
We really value your feedback about your maternity care.
It is essential for us to know about positive experiences so we can celebrate success, as well as any areas for improvement so that we can address any concerns to improve the care we provide.
Your voice is really important to us and we are grateful to everyone who takes the time to share feedback.
You said, we did
The CQC Maternity Survey was sent to all women and birthing people who were aged 16 and over at the time of delivery and had a live birth at Sherwood Forest Hospitals in February 2023.
300 women were invited to participate and 116 completed the survey, which is a return rate of 39%.
Feeling cared for was the most common theme in the feedback and there were a large amount of positive comments about care.
There were areas where we could do better including infant feeding, postnatal care, pain relief, induction of labour, staffing and ensuring our families feel listened to.
As a result of comments received, we have made the following improvements:
- We made it mandatory for all maternity staff to attend a workshop on listening to women and supporting choice.
- We introduced new processes to ensure that there are the right number of staff in each area at all times – no matter how busy it is.
- We now have a lead midwife in post for induction of Labour, who has co-created with birthing people an information leaflet for induction of labour that focuses on supportive decision making.
- We have increased the number of drug trolleys so birthing people don’t have to wait for pain relief on the ward.
- We have over-recruited newly-qualified midwives to allow increasing numbers of midwives on each shift.
- Our Lime Green infant feeding support team now provides support on the ward in the mornings.
- We have started a Birth Afterthoughts Clinic and triage process to ensure birthing people who request an appointment can be seen in a timely manner.
- Partners or a support person are able to stay overnight in all ward areas in Maternity and there are recliner chairs at every bed.
We’ll share the CQC Maternity Survey 2024 results with you in the coming months. Please check here for updates.
Share your feedback
There are a variety of ways that you can provide feedback about your care or the care of a loved one. You can choose to do any or more than one of the following:
NHS Friends and Family test
We encourage our patients to share their feedback with us about their experience and the care they have received by completing the NHS Friends and Family Test; a survey supported by NHS England and Improvement.
Patient Experience Team (PET)
The Patient Experience Team (incorporating Complaints and the Patient Advice Liaison Service) provides a confidential advice and information service. We are dedicated to listening to those that use our services, their carers and relatives. Your views are important to us and will enable the Trust to improve services.
Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership
We work closely with Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership (MNVP), which listens to the experiences of women and families, and brings together service users, staff and other stakeholders to plan, review and improve maternity and neonatal care.
The survey is available in other languages on the feedback section of the MNVP webpage Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership - NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB (external link).
The survey is available in other languages on the feedback section of the MNVP webpage Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership - NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB (external link).
Healthwatch Nottingham and Nottinghamshire
Healthwatch Nottingham and Nottinghamshire is the local independent patient and public champion.
They gather and represent the views of those who use health and social care services, to make recommendations for change.
