Supporting maternity staff: what it should look like

Early in January 2021 we launched the findings of our study on how the pandemic is impacting maternity professionals. They show a loud cry for help. Staff are not getting the emotional support they should be getting. From the start of the pandemic we have been saying that if professionals are not significantly supported, trauma will skyrocket. But what should support look like?

The pressure of working in healthcare during the pandemic is unsustainable. What we are hearing from you, our maternity staff community, is: ‘this way of working is alien to what we strive to provide’, ‘I have never wanted to leave the profession more’, ‘showing compassion from behind a mask is extremely hard.’ In reaction to our report Dr Leah Deutsch, senior registrar in O&G, writes: “We all have our breaking point and it feels for many of us we’re almost there.”

You are struggling because you’re exhausted, anxious and feel as if your spirit is broken. Facing guilt, or shame, because you are not able to provide the care you so deeply want to give. A third of you shared that they are not receiving any emotional support at work. Nearly half of you said you are only getting support from peers, such as colleagues.

“We all have our breaking point and it feels for many of us we’re almost there”

In April 2020 we launched our campaign #thinktraumanow to urge NHS leaders and policy makers to think about trauma prevention and treatment in the light of Covid-19. To ensure you have a safe space where you can go, where you are significantly supported. We have been raising our voices since the start of the pandemic but it feels like we need to be even louder: to prevent seeing similar results amongst maternity staff as we are amongst NHS critical care staff, where ‘nearly half report PTSD, depression or anxiety’ according to this piece from The Guardian. 

But it’s only fair to ask, how we put the ‘now’ into ‘think trauma now’? 
Dr Rebecca Moore, co-founder of Make Birth Better and Perinatal Psychiatrist: “There are so many things we could actually do but don’t. Things that if we had it all offered and embedded in our work week, it would be lifesaving. I am not talking about ‘individual staff should be doing this’, but what employers should be offering as mandatory so you can do them when you can. Think of things like a team mindfulness to start and end the day for five minutes, team yoga classes once a week, a space for staff to go and take a pause if they need it, a quiet room with tea and coffee, access to a staff garden space.”

Much of these things aren’t difficult to incorporate. Lead Researcher of our latest report and Make Birth Better’s Clinical Lead Dr Jan Smith adds that it’s simply all about prioritising, and therefore protecting, our mental health: “Think of a Ward Manager or Coordinator who ensures there is someone on shift who makes sure everyone has their break. And that they ensure that enough staffing is in place to make this happen.” 

On our training hub you will find more helpful examples that help prioritising mental health in your work setting, such as reflective practice groups and examples of good practice that can support staff. You can find them all here. 

In the meantime, we will keep raising our voices where we can: in the media, in campaigns, on our own channels. And we want to hear from you too. What actions would better protect your mental well-being? What has made a difference so far? What does meaningful mental health support look like to you? 

We won’t stop until we’re heard. Until you are heard.