The Resilience Learning Partnership (RLP) is hosting a drop-in session next Monday 29^th January, 12pm – 2:30pm at their Alloa office, Unit 2 Block 1, Cooperage Way Business Village, Alloa, FK10 3LP, which is open to anyone who has accessed NHS Forth Valley maternity services for themselves in the last 2 years.

Forth Valley maternity services are being supported to review how they ask people accessing their services about previous traumas, how they develop an individualised plan of care that meets people’s needs, and how this is documented. Feedback from new parents and families during previous activities has been that they have had to “retell their stories” when accessing maternity services, which has been traumatic and triggering for them. Maternity teams have also highlighted the need for a process to easily identify where a trauma has been disclosed, and a clear plan of care agreed.

Both NHS Forth Valley and RLP (who are supporting this work) are keen to involve and hear from as many people who have accessed maternity services as possible, in order to direct change in their approach and help embed a process that is meaningful, and meets the needs of families in Forth Valley.

The RLP session offers an anonymous space to have discussions around maternity services within Forth Valley, and how they could be improved for people who have experienced trauma in their life. The trauma can have been experienced at any point in their lives, including childhood, adulthood, or their pregnancy. During the session, RLP will support a Maternity Specialist in Trauma-Informed Care to meet with people and hear their experience in enquiry of trauma, agreeing their plan of care, and how this process can be improved for future families.

All discussions will remain anonymous, and people will not be asked to share personal trauma details within the session. However, in order to understand needs across different traumas, attendees will be asked to complete an anonymous survey of their trauma experiences prior to the session.

As it is a drop-in, attendees do not have to stay for the full session. Refreshments (including tea, coffee and biscuits) will be available, and parents are welcome to bring their young children.

For further information, including how to participate further, please contact Lorraine Farrow, Senior Educator & Maternity TI Lead, by email: Lorraine.farrow@nhs.scot