NHS Improvement has published a new resource outlining recommendations for the safe staffing of maternity services.
It is one of a series of seven documents from NHS improvement looking at safe staffing issues in various sectors of NHS provision.
The document was created for providers of NHS-commissioned services, boards and executive directors to support their lead maternity professionals in implementing safe staffing for maternity settings.
It describes the principles for safe maternity staffing across the multiprofessional team to ensure women and their families receive joined-up care appropriate to their needs and wishes.
The resource outlines a systematic approach for identifying the organisational, managerial and clinical setting factors that support safe staffing of maternity services.
And it makes recommendations for developing models of care, staffing, tools and monitoring, and acting on staffing issues and risk to meet women's needs.
Nigel Thomson, the Society’s professional officer for ultrasound, commented: “The SCoR has been involved in the creation of this document for the last year.
“There is a short section included on sonographers (page 17, Safe staffing maternity engagement) which we think is a first for this type of document.
“The document has already been subject to pre-consultation review at a high level by government, NHS managers and directors and external figures such as Sir Robert Francis.”
NHS Improvement has opened up the draft document up for consultation before the publication of the final version.
Comments on the document can be made either direct to the consultation response address or via the SCoR if you prefer. If you wish to respond via the SCoR please send to comments to Nigel Thomson by 30 July. [email protected]
The consultation ends on 11 August.