Health: Supporting Women, Reducing Harm Short Life Working Group minutes - 01 August 2024

Attendees and apologies

Attendees

• Emma Cashmore-Gordon, Co-chair, Perinatal Services Manager, Aberlour
• Karis Deacon, SG, Secretariat
• Claudette Day, SG, official
• Katy Macleod, Research and Peer Engagement Programme Manager, SDF
• Marie-Claire Shankland, Programme Director, NHS Education for Scotland
• Gavin Philipson, Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Network Scotland
• Shelley Arthur, Health Visiting Team Leader, NHS Forth Valley
• Joanne Smith, Policy and Public Affairs Manager, NSPCC Scotland
• Susanna Galea-Singer, Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland
• Roch Cantwell, SG, Perinatal and Infant Mental Health
• Maree Aldam, CEO, Birth Companions
• Marie Balment, Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Network Scotland

Apologies

• Harriet Waugh, SG, official
• Kelsey Sclater, SG, official
• Kirstie Campbell, SG, official
• Carolyn Wilson, SG, official
• Emily McLean, SG, official
• Carolyn Wales, SG, official
• Anne McFadyen, SG, Perinatal and Infant Mental Health
• Iona Duckett, Co-chair, Senior Midwife, NHS Tayside
• Hazel Inglis, Specialist Midwife for Drugs and Alcohol, NHS Highland
• Helen Sheriff, Perinatal Services Manager, Amma Birth Companions
• Sarah Zadik, Co-Founder & Head of Services, Amma Birth Companions
• Lesley Sharkey, Director of Midwifery, NHS Tayside
• Linda Thompson, Head of Services, Women’s Support Project
• Rowan Anderson, Programme Lead, CORRA Foundation
• Ruth Robin, Healthcare Improvement Scotland
• Lynn Gillies, Service Manager, Children & Families, Social Work, Fife Council
• Donatella Olisterno, Service Manager, Harper House
• Jaki Lambert, Director for Scotland, Royal College of Midwifes
• Jennifer Shields, Foetal Alcohol Advisory Support Training Team, Edinburgh
• Kirsten Horsburgh, CEO, Scottish Drugs Forum
• Hannah Boyle, Service Lead, Simon Scotland
• Lyndsey Turfus, Substance Use Sub-Group Chair, Social Work Scotland

Items and actions

Welcome and updates

The Co-Chairs welcomed group members to the fifth meeting and thanked everyone for attending.

Lived and living experience update

The living and living experience (LLE) group convened for a second meeting, during which a brief but insightful discussion took place. They examined the guiding principles set out below, ensuring they are comprehensive and aligned with the group’s thoughts, experiences and knowledge:

• ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​all services should work together to provide holistic, joined up support, considering the specific needs of women in rural areas
• provide evidence-based support that is trauma informed with kindness and compassion
• take a human-rights based approach, prioritising both the rights of women and children throughout the journey of care
• involve support from and for partners/family/friends where appropriate
• ensure continuity of care for women and their babies
• take a pro-active approach to meet women where they are
• involve lived and living experience in the design and delivery of services
• take a harm-reduction approach to substance use
• develop knowledge and skills in the workforce, particularly around sexual/reproductive health and violence
• provide accurate and up-to-date information to support women’s choices
• ensure that women know what their care and support should look like, and are involved in their care plans

​​​​​​​The floor was opened up to the SWRH group for feedback. Key points included:

• revise principle one to use more inclusive language, encompassing the needs and barriers faced by women in both rural and urban areas
• amend principle five to 'long-term' continuity of care to avoid ‘cliff edges’. Care should also be delivered by a team rather than one individual to ensure continuity
• addressing stigma by incorporating “non-judgemental” into principle two
• additionally, integrate the parental responsibilities of women to ensure comprehensive care and support, bolstering the recovery journey
• both principles two and three demonstrates the critical need for services to foster supportive relationships with mothers and empower them through informed and compassionate interventions. 
• this can ultimately aid infant protection, care, and development, which are of paramount importance
• by employing evidence-based practices and trauma-informed care, services can better support mothers in fulfilling their parental responsibilities
• include 'mental health' specialism (for both mother and infant) and 'substance use' within principle nine
• include core harm-reduction training within principle eight

Good practice guide  

​​​​​​​Karis Deacon, Scottish Government, shared a draft outline of the Good Practice Guide. Its key elements include:

• 11 guiding principles
• scope of guide
• language
• journey through care
• what is required of services? (case-coordination, service organisation, workforce training, involvement of LLE)
• impact of substances/withdrawal
• links to useful resources

​​​​​​​Following the presentation, an interactive Jamboard session was facilitated to gather views and suggestions on the following three questions: What do we want the guide to look and feel like? What key areas do we need to include? How do we make it more deliverable? ​​​​​​​Feedback included:

• alternative and easy read formats, such as video and animation.
• Implementable for boards, ensuring it is positive and possible to increase engagement
• clear and concise language, logical flows and interactive elements
• Engage social workers in the process to ensure that the guidance is contextualised and accurately reflects the realities of practice

Actions and close

• ​​​​​​​members were encouraged to revisit the Jamboard and provide additional contributions to ensure a wide range of perspectives are considered
• ​​​​​​​assemble the drafting group within the next two weeks
• ​​​​​​​co-chairs thanked members for attending and for their valuable input and closed the meeting

Date of next meeting: 29 August 2024 11:00 – 12:00​​​​​​​