Lewisham Maternity Services awarded Gold Pride in Practice Award
Lewisham Maternity Services have become the first maternity service in the UK to receive the Gold Pride in Practice Award from the LGBT Foundation.
Pride in Practice is a national quality assurance training programme that strengthens and develops a healthcare providers’ relationship with their lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) patients.
The training was funded by Lewisham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) in response to service user feedback from the Maternity Voices Partnership – a team of women and birthing people and their families, commissioners and providers working together to review and contribute to the development of local maternity care.
During the year-long programme, senior staff completed training and assessments to equip them with the skills and knowledge to provide LGBT people with a positive, affirming and equitable maternity service that would meet their healthcare needs.
Consultant Midwife Sophie Russell and Lead Midwife Sioban Winfindale from the Trust are pictured below with Nadia Brobbey from the Maternity Voices Partnership and Public Health Consultant Midwife Pauline Cross (left to right).
Sioban said: “It’s vital that Lewisham Maternity Services are accessible to everyone, including LGBT people – and that’s why we were so pleased to take part in this programme. We’ve gained a valuable insight into the issues LGBT people face, as well as the skills and confidence to support each other to provide them with the best care possible.
“Pride in Practice is a fantastic programme, and everything we’ve learnt will continue to shape how we deliver care to LGBT maternity service users in future and how we continue to train and recruit staff who uphold the same values.
“I would absolutely recommend this programme to other maternity units, and I’m so proud of all we have achieved in getting the Gold accreditation.”
The accreditation certificate is now proudly on display in the maternity unit.