England’s chief midwifery officer honours Warrington hospital worker

Kate Brintworth was welcomed by midwives, nurses and maternity support workers as she visited the Lovely Lane site on Thursday to tour its maternity services and present a Chief Midwifery Officer Award.

Staff shared insights into the work they are doing to provide the best care for women and families, with the tour taking in the Maternity Triage Assessment Unit – a dedicated space which provides a 24-hour service for expectant parents with concerns during pregnancy.

Kate also toured The Nest, which is the trust’s midwifery-led unit that offers women a ‘home from home’ relaxed environment to welcome their baby.

Team River, one of six midwifery continuity of care teams, spoke about their work to ensure families with additional vulnerabilities have a positive pregnancy journey.

The enhanced offer at Warrington Hospital was commended for its outstanding practice to deliver outreach maternity care by the Care Quality Commission.

The final stop on the tour showcased the recently opened induction of labour unit and birth suite.

The new unit provides a larger, more comfortable space, with two induction bays, ensuite facilities and kitchen facilities, to enhance the experience and comfort of patients on the induction of labour pathway and their birthing partners.

As part of the visit, Kate also presented maternity support worker Rachel Wood with a coveted Chief Midwifery Officer Award.

Rachel received the national accolade for her hard work and dedication to maternity practice.

Kate said: “It was a pleasure to visit Warrington Hospital and see first-hand staff’s excellent work and innovation in maternity care.

“In particular, the way they are using the maternity support worker role to provide special support for vulnerable women, babies and families.

Kate Brintworth presenting Rachel Wood with the Chief Midwifery Officer Award

“During my visit, I was proud to present maternity support worker Rachel with a Chief Midwifery Officer Award.

“She is kind, compassionate and patient-focused, and she sets a gold standard for patient care and professional excellence. Congratulations Rachel, this award is well-deserved.”

Rachel was nominated for the award by her colleagues, who praised her ability to work collaboratively with colleagues to ensure seamless care from pre-operative to post-natal recovery.

They also valued her ‘unwavering emotional support’ for patients and their families to make sure they feel well-prepared for birth and their new arrival.

Rachel said: “Wow, what a shock to have received the Chief Midwifery Officer Award from Kate.

“I was very overwhelmed and tearful to receive it, and to read the feedback from patients and colleagues.

“The patients I care for mean so much to me, and I always strive to treat my patients like family. I always try my best to show kindness and compassion to everyone that I care for.”

As part of the nomination, patient feedback hailed Rachel as a ‘wonderful person’ who is an ‘exemplary example of nursing professionalism’, offering reassurance and compassion during what can be some of the most stressful but exciting times for parents.

Ailsa Gaskill-Jones, director of midwifery at Warrington Hospital, added: “It was a real honour to welcome Kate to Warrington Hospital.

“We are incredibly proud of our team here, and it was so lovely to see Rachel’s hard work and dedication recognised on the day too.

“The visit also provided a wonderful opportunity to share some of the recent improvements that we are most proud of, along with our exciting ongoing initiatives including the RSV vaccination offer, enhanced midwifery service and how our maternity service is embracing the digital agenda to transform care for patients.”