To advance the understanding of the standard of bereavement care on offer across the NHS, NMSF is collaborating with the University of Chester in planning new groundbreaking research to explore bereaved fathers views and experiences, often sadly overlooked when losing a baby.
Offering her support to National Maternity Day, Cathy Warwick, General Secretary of the RCM, said: “This is a very valuable day which helps to raise awareness about the importance of maternity services, and how good quality maternity care can have a positive and long-lasting impact on mothers, babies and their families. “It highlights the need for sustained investment in maternity services so that women using the service receive the safe and high quality service that they deserve.
“The RCM fully supports the valuable work of Andrew and Rachel through NMSF, Jake’s Charity, and I am enormously proud to be the charity’s lead patron.”
The Rt Hon Grant Shapps added, "I have been involved with NMSF since its inception and I am delighted to see the excellent progress they have made in improving maternity care. It is clear that the work of NMSF has helped to bring some difficult issues surrounding maternity care to the forefront and develop strategies to find solutions that have huge benefits for a great many people. I fully support National Maternity Day and the charity in continuing their important work."
Andrew Canter, Chairman of NMSF said: “We are incredibly proud of our achievements and will continue our work to improve maternity care. We have come a long way since Jake was stillborn and to have such a positive lasting legacy for him is fantastic. We are delighted to have excellent partners who give us huge support and inspiration to continue this important work for the benefit of others.”
To support National Maternity Day we have introduced a scheme to donate 100% of funds towards Jake’s Scholarship programme.
To donate go to www.justgiving.com/nationalmaternityday
Royal College of Midwives (RCM) Annual Midwifery Awards 2010
NMSF Chairman, Andrew Canter with HRH the Princess Royal, Jayne Welch and Barbara Hanson (our winners), Professor Cathy Warwick, CBE, General Secretary, RCM and NMSF Lead Patron
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) Annual Midwifery Awards are an annual celebration of the excellence, innovation and impact of midwifery practice in the UK. NMSF in partnership with the RCM developed a new category to recognise the importance of specialist bereavement midwife care which NMSF sponsored. We were extremely proud that this formed a key part of the RCM Annual Midwifery Awards.
The awards lunch took place at the Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington and were attended by 300 health professionals, including the president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Professor Sir Sabaratnam Arulkumaran. HRH the Princess Royal, patron of the RCM was the guest of honour.
Jake leaves a lasting legacy
We have been determined to ensure Jake left a lasting legacy, setting up the National Maternity Support Foundation (NMSF) in his memory. And that vow has now been cemented with a new award. In partnership with the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), NMSF has set up an honour to recognise the importance of bereavement midwife care. The NMSF Award for Bereavement Care – which has become part of the RCM’s annual awards ceremony – will provide a yearly bursary.
“Jake’s Scholarship” will enable NHS midwives with at least five years’ experience to undertake specialist training with the aim of practising as a bereavement counsellor in a maternity setting. Mr Canter, NMSF chairman and also a Welwyn Hatfield borough councillor, said: “We were extremely proud to attend the RCM Midwifery Awards in the presence of HRH The Princess Royal.
“This was our first year as sponsor of the newly-created category for excellence in bereavement care. It was an incredible day and one we will never forget, the beginning of the next phase for Jake to leave a positive legacy.”
The first winners of Jake’s Scholarship were Jayne Welch and Barbara Hanson, from Newcastle-upon-Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Winners of Jake’s Scholarship
Congratulations to the inaugural winners of Jake's Scholarship Jayne Welch and Barbara Hanson from Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for their dedication, passion and their amazing work in this area.
Our congratulations also go to those shortlisted for the award; namely, Julia Lidderdale and Jacqui Nash (West Middlesex University NHS Trust), Fiona Twist and Gill Blackhurst (Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) all demonstrated incredible commitment to their specialist area of bereavement care.
We were delighted to present the cheque in person to the winners of Jake's Scholarship in the maternity unit of Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The event was attended by all of the maternity staff and the Trust's Chief Executive, Sir Leonard Fenwick.
Sir Leonard Fenwick CBE, Barbara Hanson, Jayne Welch, Andrew Canter
http://www.rcm.org.uk/college/media-centre/press-releases/two-newcastle-midwives-win-top-award/
London Marathon Raises Significant Sum
A huge thank you to James Norman who ran this year's London Marathon for NMSF. All in all he managed to raise £3,100 including gift aid which was a great achievement and greatly appreciated by all of us connected with NMSF.
An exhausted James Norman at the finish with his well deserved medal
Here is an account of the day by James...The day it self is one that I shall never forget, after a wet start we got off well and the pace was set to beat the target of 3:45. About 15 miles in I had a very welcome and much needed boost by 7 friends shouting my name and running along side for about 100 meters.... At one point I thought they were going to finish before me! More friends and family cheered me through the Isle of dogs, and after 20 miles we were still on track!
Alas, I could not keep the pace.... and with 2-3 miles to go every step felt 10 times harder and all the people I had recently overtaken were now passing me (Including a Lucozade bottle and a woman in her 60's). Now with no chance of finishing in 3:45 it was all about doing it under 4 hours.... Thankfully my legs held out and I managed to cross the line in.....3 hours 55 Minutes 43 Seconds.
NMSF Publishes Damning Report into Bereavement Care
Our latest report, Who cares when you lose a baby? highlighted the shortcomings of specialist bereavement midwife care revealing that 40 per cent of NHS Trusts providing maternity services do not have a specialist bereavement midwife counselor to help parents following the tragic loss of a stillborn baby or shortly after birth.
Key findings:
- There are 74 NHS Trusts (40 per cent) without a specialist bereavement midwife counselor
- The survey received an 82 per cent response rate from the NHS Trusts
- Absolute postcode lottery of bereavement maternity care
- Apparent lack of a uniform approach or best practice evident
- 13 per cent employ a bereavement midwife counselor on a part-time or job-share basis
- There was a complete disregard of the specialist nature of bereavement midwife care evident from some NHS Trusts
"No bereavement counseling has been offered by the hospital. They made no contact with us after we left the hospital after the stillbirth. The time just after the loss of your child is bewildering. But, my Mum could not bear to see the pain we were both in and got our GP out to visit us (she had not been told by the hospital that our son had died) and she arranged counselling for us. I am also funding private counselling.” (quote from recently bereavement Mother)
The full report can be downloaded here http://www.rcm.org.uk/midwives/features/who-cares-when-you-lose-a-baby/
First joint NMSF/RCM leaflet published
We are extremely proud to announce that our first joint publication titled, There Are No Guarantees has been launched. For the past few months we have worked in close consultation with our partners at the RCM to produce what we believe is an important leaflet relevant to anyone planning on giving birth. It has now been adopted by a number of NHS Trusts and is being distributed to pregnant women at their first Midwife appointment. The leaflet can be downloaded here http://www.rcm.org.uk/college/resources/useful-links/
NMSF Funds Bereavement Care Network
We have helped to fund the Bereavement Care Network which has been developed by the Royal College of Midwives, Sands (the stillbirth and neonatal death charity) and Bliss (the special care baby charity), the Bereavement Care Network helps practitioners to share good practice and procedures, exchange ideas and provide informal support.
It is the discussion area for midwives, nurses and student nurses and midwives who provide, or who are interested in, the care offered to parents whose baby dies.
It is also a way for RCM, Sands, Bliss and NMSF to keep professionals informed of relevant information, developments and resources.
NMSF Receives Royal Recognition - Tea at The Palace
We are proud to that the NMSF was officially recognised by HM Queen Elizabeth II for it's work in helping others and campaigning to improve maternity services. We were invited to attend Buckingham Palace to take tea with the Queen on the 8th July 2008.
Above: Andrew & Rachel Canter outside Buckingham Palace
It was a fantastic day which we thoroughly enjoyed. Jake was most definitely in our thoughts as the sun shone down on the beautiful Palace gardens. Although we did not speak directly to the Queen we were fortunate enough to come within a few feet of her, which was absolutely thrilling. We both will remember the occasion for the rest of our lives and it will inspire us even more to continue the work of the NMSF. Oh and the cucumber sandwiches and cakes were delicious too!
NMSF invited to speak at RCM AGM
Delivering our charter to the Department of Health
We chose Jake's 2nd birthday 29th October 2007 as the NMSF's official launch day. Our charter was delivered to the Department of Health with the help of our local MP and patron, Grant Shapps.
1. Andrew Canter & 'Mr. Stork' delivering the NMSF's charter to the Department of Health (DoH)
2. Andrew Canter, 'Mr. Stork' & Grant Shapps MP (Shadow Housing Minister) outside the DoH
3. Rachel Canter, 'Mr. Stork' & Rosie Harman outside the DoH
4. 'Mr. Stork', Rachel & Ruby Canter, Anne Milton MP (Shadow Health Minister) & Andrew Canter after the press conference at Port Cullis House, Westminster
The press conference at Port Cullis House, Westminster was attended by Anne Milton, Shadow Health Minister who fully supports the NMSF's objectives. There are a number of policy changes and initiatives that we will be looking to be involved with in the coming months.
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