Labour of love as new BL3 maternity hub is set up

SHOCKING statistics show that, nationally women from BAME ­— Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic ­— communities are at higher risk of dying while giving birth and stillbirth rates were around 60 per cent higher for babies of Asian and Asian British ethnicity than for babies of white ethnicity.

In response Bolton NHS Foundation Trust has launched a potentially life-saving maternity hub in Deane, situated in the Bolton Council of Mosques building.

Midwife Benash Nazeem (pictured) the driving force behind the centre, said looking at the data was heartbreaking.

She said: “Someone who can identify as being Asian, every single thing was shocking to me, I felt it.

“I lived in three months of upset because of what I was seeing. It felt painful.

“When you see the data it makes you think back to your experience as a clinician, it makes you reflect on every opportunity you may have potentially missed ­— it makes you aware of your own gaps in your knowledge.”

Whilst the service is largely aimed at the diverse ethnic communities in this area, including women who may not have English as a first language, it is open to all who wish to access care at this location.

The team (pictured) book over 1100 women a year in the BL3 postcode and now pregnant women in that area can access an antenatal clinic on their doorstep.

After covid restrictions are lifted, a drop-in centre will be launched where women can voice any concerns they have and seek advice if they are planning to have children.

Key to the centre’s success is a multi-lingual midwife and accessibility.

Benash, who has a special interest in addressing health inequities and breaking down barriers to care, said: “Maternity services are already working in communities, this is more about being able to do a targeted approach in the areas that are concerning us the most when it comes to data and outcomes.

“The reality is certain areas we need to actually take community services back into the community, so that they have ownership and more likely to engage and build trust in our services. Hopefully that will be the beginning of change and the way we work.

“There is always a fear of going into hospital because often we associate hospitals with people who are sick and ill and often death as well.

“So it is always scary going to a hospital, but it is more scary if you are a migrant mother and you are pregnant because in certain countries if you are going to hospital in labour or pregnancy you are going because of something is really wrong and most likely those mothers will go and not come back, that’s terrifying for anyone.

“So we really do need to be able to engage and support and overcome any concerns our communities have.

“We have had positive feedback and people are really feeling it is easily accessible. They are enjoying the fact that it is walking range from their houses.

“When restrictions lift we will start a drop in clinic.

“This was planned based of what we needed in Bolton according to Bolton’s needs.”

She added in an ideal world such a hub would be placed at the heart of all communities, co-designed with people living there.

“Every single one would be different because it will meet the need of the community in that area,” said Benash.

Fardous Umal, who works closely with Bolton’s Somalian community, helped shape the new service and said the hub was also transforming care for pregnant women.

She described the challenges some women in the community face when accessing services a ‘nightmare’.

Fardous got involved in the project while in the delivery suite at the Royal Bolton Hospital’s Princess Anne maternity unit.

“We have members of the community who are new to the country, so they don’t speak English and struggle reading letters and appointments.

“There are language issues, it was an issue and it wasn’t an easy process. It got to a point where some ladies were not going to the appointment.I can read the materials and even with that pregnancy is an anxious journey. I would hate to think what that experience would be like if they can’t communicate with anyone.”

Fardous said:”Having this has taken a lot of that away. It is going to make a massive difference ­They can enjoy their pregnancy and not worry about things.”