2015 Scottish Maternity Care Survey Technical Report

1 survey overview

Introduction

1.1 This report provides information on the technical aspects of the 2015 Scottish Maternity Care Survey, including development, implementation, analysis and reporting.

1.2 The survey was commissioned by the Scottish Government as part of the Scottish Care Experience Survey Programme. The survey provides high quality and comprehensive information on women’s experiences of maternity care in 2015 and repeats the survey undertaken in 2013. The results provide benchmark data for NHS Boards and will inform the current national review of maternity services in Scotland.

1.3 The survey covered women’s experiences around each stage of their maternity care:

• antenatal care
• care during labour and birth
• postnatal care in hospital
• feeding their baby
• care at home after the birth

1.4 This survey was undertaken in partnership with the Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions (NMAHP) Research Unit at the University of Stirling. The NMAHP Research Unit is a multidisciplinary national research unit funded by the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorate Chief Scientist Office. The survey was administered by a patient survey contractor, Quality Health Ltd.

1.5 National results as well as individual reports for maternity units and mainland NHS Boards were published in December 2015 and are being used by Scottish Government, national partners, NHS Boards and hospitals to identify areas for improvement: www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Health/maternitysurvey/2015Results.