Maternity support now offered in multiple languages
Responding to increasing need in the community, Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust has produced new information packs in 45 different languages to help support expectant parents. Emma Brown, Patient Experience Midwife, says it was their involvement with refugees from Ukraine which led her to develop the new language folders.
She said: “We realised the need for our services to be explained for parents in their own language and that it was the best way to offer support through pregnancy, birth and beyond. When I looked into it, I found there were bespoke leaflets in a whole range of languages which would help our midwives deliver the best possible care.”
Although we had offered some translated information in the past, these packs triple the number of languages now covered. The folders include leaflets from a range of specialist organisations covering topics including foetal movements, safe sleep and infant feeding plus much more to help answer questions during pregnancy through to post-natal experiences.
Emma has developed three main resources to cover all eventualities. The language folders are available in all clinical areas for midwives to use in consultations. They can also be accessed digitally via electronic records and, on request, packs can be sent out directly to people’s homes.
There is an additional folder in the delivery suite with pain relief translated leaflets. This includes epidural cards, pain relief comparison and anaesthesia for C-Section sheets offering quick access for staff to give parents essential information about options, often when fast decisions are needed.
Emma says colleagues in the wards and the community are giving really positive feedback:
“Our midwives say the new packs are proving to be a great resource and are really supporting them in consultations. There are an increasing number of languages spoken in our community and these new packs help us offer all our new patients the best, most informed access to our maternity services.”