Trust Board Febuary 2010 - Sandwell & West Birmingham Hospitals

SWBTB (2/10) 035 (a)
• Bad experience – “Sandwell hospital was really bad. My baby wasn’t meant to be sent
home as the next day he was in hospital wiv suspected septicaemia.”
However, the majority of people in Sandwell wanted to be able to give birth in Sandwell for a
number of reasons:
• Ease of access for themselves and their families - “Sandwell covers a wide area and I feel
that the option of giving birth close to where you live should be considered…..”
• Some respondents did not agree with any of the options - they wanted to be able to
have children born in Sandwell. Comments on the questionnaire included “None of the
above, I would like to give birth to my baby and all future babies that I may have at
Sandwell Hospital as I feel that Sandwell offers the best care…..” and “I hope we don’t
lose maternity services in Sandwell. I was born in Sandwell, my children were born in
Sandwell and now my grandchildren,” and “I haven’t ticked any of the options because
the outcome I want is births to continue at Sandwell….” and “I would want Sandwell
Maternity Services to stay open as it is closer and I am comfortable with Sandwell and I
know where I am.”
• Familiarity – focus group participants in Sandwell said they felt comfortable with the
hospital, that they knew how to get there, that they knew the journey time and knew
their way around the site. As one person commented on their questionnaire “I am very
upset to hear that Sandwell Hospital maternity and labour ward is closing down. I think
that we should have an option to keep the maternity and labour ward at Sandwell
Hospital, because it was close and convenient and also easy to reach for me and my
family.” Another noted, “People who have had babies at Sandwell and are happy and
comfortable at that hospital, we shouldn't have to be uprooted to another hospital,
being in a strange environment is going to be extremely upsetting during labour. I think
we should be given the choice of which hospital we want to give birth. I am not happy
with the plans. I think there is nothing wrong with Sandwell!!”
• Across focus groups and questionnaire comments, it is clear that people feel that
Sandwell is fine as it is – even when the consultation document and presentations at
consultation events, public meetings and focus groups talked about issues of quality and
safety. Questionnaire comments included “I don’t understand why you feel that
Sandwell can’t stay as it is, they do a great job. My true opinion would be leave things as
they are….we are happy to stay with Sandwell,” and “….I would like to give birth to my
baby and all future babies that I may have at Sandwell Hospital as I feel that Sandwell
offers the best care, and I am aware that all of the above hospitals have a poor standard
of care and attitude towards woman in their maternity departments,and some of the
17