£1 million invested for maternity and neonatal champions in Wales
on 25 January 2022
The Welsh Government has assigned £1 million to invest in maternity and neonatal champions across health boards in Wales.
Each health board in the country will have a maternity and neonatal champion, reporting directly to the Chief Nursing Officer for Wales.
The positions have been developed as part of the Welsh Government’s Maternity and Neonatal Safety Support Programme that aims to improve safety, experience and outcomes for women and babies.
The first phase of the programme will see Improvement Cymru supporting health boards to identify the key priorities for areas of development and improvement.
Each maternity and neonatal champion will report back to a national steering group to consider some of the challenges maternity services are facing, to assist with creating new national standards.
Minister for Health and Social Services, Eluned Morgan, said: “Reducing health inequalities, ensuring services are patient focussed and creating and inclusive, flexible multi-professional, talented workforce are priorities for this government and this Programme will set the foundation for making these priorities central to all NHS services.”
The Maternity and Neonatal Safety Support Programme has been created following recommendations outlined in the review for Maternity and Neonatal Services in Cwm Taf Morgannwg, published in the Quality and Safety Framework.
Chief Nursing Officer for Wales, Sue Tranka, said: “Women and children are at the heart of this Programme putting families at the centre of decisions so that all women, babies and their families get the highest quality of care which meets their needs.
“Improving maternity services is essential to support the healthy and happy families and communities of the future.
“I am grateful for the enthusiasm and commitment of all those involved in developing this programme and we will continue to ensure pregnancy and birth remains a positive experience for families.”
Source: Welsh Government