Trust Board Febuary 2010 - Sandwell & West Birmingham Hospitals

SWBTB (2/10) 035 (a)
5.1.2 Issues raised by young people
Transport and Access
Like most respondents, young people/parents were concerned about difficulties in getting to
City Hospital, in particular for friends and family. Young people clearly identified the need for
support from their partners, family and friends during pregnancy, labour and birth and want the
hospital to be easy for them all to get to.
Parking was a big concern, with worries that there wouldn’t be enough parking at City if
Sandwell closed and that “it would be expensive (to park) if the woman has a lot of antenatal
appointments” (young man in focus group). One suggestion was that “they could put a couple of
parking vouchers in the bounty pack” (young person in focus group).
Flexible visiting arrangements were important to young people. Both young women and young
men want partners to be able to stay all day. One young man said: “It’s a good feeling when you
have your first-born, (you) would want to be with your son or daughter”. Young men in a focus
group mentioned that the ‘2 visitors to a bed’ restriction can be difficult for big families. Young
women want their families to be able to visit.
Attitudes to young people
Strong views were expressed in focus groups by young women who had experience of
maternity services at City Hospital. They commented that staff were neither helpful or polite -
especially to younger women. Staff were described variously as being impatient with younger
women and not treating them with the respect older women get.
Young parents want staff to answer questions and respond (positively) to requests for
reassurance. Young people said it was important that staff are helpful, supportive and
sympathetic.
Young men strongly expressed their wish to feel welcomed and involved in the maternity unit,
not “ostracised, ignored or stigmatised” They said they would want to be involved all through
the pregnancy and one said some fathers might feel scared to be at the birth (and would need
support).
5.2 Men
63 men completed and returned the questionnaire. As can be seen from table 7 below the
majority of the men who responded were either already parents, or had a partner who was
pregnant.
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