Thinking globally acting locally: Midwives attending to the public health agenda of disadvantaged women.

Abstract

This presentation considers the contextual situation in which the Sure Start midwives work, including the national and local socio-political situation. The aim of this evaluation was to discover the impact of the midwifery care provided by the Sure Start midwives to the women within the local community. This study used a qualitative approach with quantitative demographic data. The qualitative data was collected via interviews with stakeholders and parents, and focus groups with parents, the Sure Start midwives, Centre staff and Bournemouth community midwives (BCM). The findings show high satisfaction for all the activities within the Centre and for the services and care provided by the midwives. The Centre and its associated activities were viewed as being of positive significance to the daily lives of the local families who access services. The services and care provided by the midwives was noted to be effectively integrated within the Centre’s activities. This enabled the midwives to participate effectively in collaborative planning and review of Centre activities.