Last month, maternity colleagues at East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust were recognised for their innovation and improvement, at the annual East of England Perinatal Awards.
Colleagues from across the trust came together to present two pieces of work that have had a significant impact on improving outcomes and experiences for women and families using services at the Lister Diamond Jubilee Maternity Unit.
Paige McCretton, Lead Digital Midwife at the trust presented the development and implementation of an innovative Telephone Triage e-learning package, which has since become a nationally-adopted package.
Endorsed by the Birmingham Symptom-specific Obstetric Triage System, the Telephone Triage package is now available on E-Learning, a Health Education England programme delivering tailored online sessions in partnership with professional bodies.
Accessed by trusts across England, with tailored versions for Scotland and Wales currently in development, the Telephone Triage programme represents a significant step forward in standardising triage education and supporting safer, more consistent maternity care.
Mary Goodin, Consultant Obstetrician and Amanda Rowley, Director of Midwifery and Lead Divisional Director Women’s & Children’s Division presented learning from a recent improvement workshop which focused on streamlining and improving the trust’s induction of labour process.
Their work demonstrated impressive improvements against baseline metrics at 90 days post-workshop, showcasing the power of collaborative working, data-driven change, and a strong focus on service user experience.
The event brought well-deserved recognition for the wider maternity team, who secured four awards in total during a day of celebration:
- Excellence in Innovation Award for the Induction of Labour improvement project
- Student of the Year awarded to Astra Morley
- Consultant of the Year awarded to Mary Goodin, Consultant Obstetrician, for her dedication to supporting the IOL project and her close involvement with service users
- Midwife of the Year awarded to Paige McCretton for her digital innovation work supporting standards and education in maternity triage
Amanda Rowley, Director of Midwifery and Lead Divisional Director Women’s & Children’s Division said:
“These achievements reflect the passion, expertise, and collaborative spirit of the maternity team. Their work continues to set a benchmark for innovation and quality improvement, not only within the trust but across the wider NHS.
“Congratulations to everyone involved on this fantastic success.”