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

Attendees and apologies

Attendees

• Emma Cashmore-Gordon, Co-chair, Perinatal Services Manager, Aberlour
• Iona Duckett, Co-chair, Senior Midwife, NHS Tayside
• Anne McFadyen, SG, Perinatal and Infant Mental Health
• Roch Cantwell, SG, Perinatal and Infant Mental Health
• Jaki Lambert, Director for Scotland, Royal College of Midwifes
• Kirstyn Brogan, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
• Lesley Sharkey, Director of Midwifery, NHS Tayside
• Lynn Gillies, Service Manager, Children & Families, Social Work, Fife Council
• Maree Aldam, CEO, Birth Companions
• Gavin Philipson, Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Network Scotland
• Ruth Robin, Healthcare Improvement Scotland
• Shelley Arthur, Health Visiting Team Leader, NHS Forth Valley
• Joanne Smith, Policy and Public Affairs Manager, NSPCC Scotland
• Kirstie Campbell, SG, official
• Carolyn Wilson, SG, official
• Karis Deacon, SG, Secretariat

 

Apologies

• Adam Burley, Trauma Services in Mental Health Lead, NHS Lothian
• Fiona Miele, Family Nurse Partnership Lead, NHS Grampian
• Anna Clark, Consultant Obstetrician, Glasgow SNIPS
• Linda Thompson, Head of Services, Women’s Support Project
• Lyndsey Turfus, Substance Use Sub-Group Chair, Social Work Scotland
• Marie Balment, Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Network Scotland
• Susanna Galea-Singer, Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland
• Hazel Inglis, Specialist Midwife for Drugs and Alcohol, NHS Highland
• Jennifer Shields, Foetal Alcohol Advisory Support Training Team, Edinburgh

Items and actions

Welcome and updates

The co-chairs welcomed group members to the fourth meeting and thanked everyone for attending.

​​​​​​​Iona Duckett set out a plan for the group to comment on a draft outline of the good practice guide at the next meeting. Group members highlighted the need for proper consideration of training requirements to make real change in service delivery.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Lived and living experience participation

​​​​​​​Emma Cashmore-Gordon provided an update on the Lived and Living Experience (LLE) Steering Group which met for the first time on 20 June 2024: 

• the Group was chaired by ​​​​​​​Emma Cashmore-Gordon and ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Iona Duckett, and met via Microsoft teams
• representation was made up of 13 women who are currently pregnant, women with previous experience of substance use during pregnancy, and women who have had children removed into care
• participants will be remunerated for their work throughout the life of the Steering Group

Emma Cashmore-Gordon highlighted that that by providing participants with a safe and supportive environment to contribute to the work, we hope to allow group members a real opportunity to influence and shape the work of the Short Life Working Group (SLWG).

Discussion around data

​​​​​​​It was highlighted to the group that the issue of specific data collection around the experiences of women who use substances is limited, and the Scottish Government are looking to identify what clear gaps exist. Key discussion points included:

• there is a need to understand both the demand for services for this group of women and provision of support across Scotland
• evaluating the experiences of women who use substances accessing perinatal mental health support involves quite complex data collection, particularly as service provision and outcomes can differ across and within health boards
• with the data that we currently gather across maternity, child protection and drugs and alcohol harms, we have a clear idea of what the problems are, but a lack of data linkage limits our ability to set out a clear picture of women’s journey through services and into positive outcomes
• there is a potential that the real gap in data is women’s experiences in accessing support and treatment. Focussing on what women perceive to be the barriers to their accessing support may be a useful exercise in understanding what change needs to take place

Presentation

Stacey McLeary (Team Lead) gave a short presentation on Martha’s Mammies, and the support it provides to women in Glasgow who have had children removed from their care. Key points included:

• Martha’s Mammies is a women-only service which currently provides support to 60 women, with around 100 on a waiting list
• service provision involves family group decision making, sexual health, BBV and practical support with clothing, food, mobile phones and emergency support for women who have been victims of domestic abuse or violence
• the service was co-designed with input from women with lived and living experience, and service users are consulted every month around what they feel is missing for them
• Shelter Scotland provide welfare advice, which is particularly important for this group of women who are at an increased risk of experiencing homelessness
• 33% of the women the service supports are care experienced, and some women have been supported to reconnect with previous foster families
• some of the service users have been supported to create a scrap book which tells their story to their children. This is an example of giving women control of their own narrative, and the best possible chance to recovery from the loss of a child

During a discussion around the importance of services like Martha’s Mammies, group members highlighted the need for more support for women in during the pre-birth period, to provide families with the therapeutic support necessary to prepare for childbirth/being a parent.

Actions and close​​​​​​​

• ​​​​​​​the co-chairs suggested that any further comments on the question around data and evidence should be sent to the Secretariat
• ​​​​​​​co-chairs, thanked members for attending and for their valuable input and closed the meeting

Date of next meeting: 1 August 2024 11:00am - 12.00pm