Maternity
Voices
Partnerships
Review and contribute to the development of local maternity care
Who are we?
A Maternity Voices Partnership (MVP) is a team of people who provide feedback about their local maternity system. The panel includes maternity professionals (like midwives and doctors) and people with direct personal experience of the service, including women who have been pregnant and given birth and their family members. Our MVPs are led by those who use the services.
We are the facilitator of MVPs for Birmingham, Solihull and in 2022 our role in Sandwell and West Birmingham was expanded to the whole BlackCountry. Dudley and Wolverhampton MVP is led by Nadia Griffin, and Walsall, Sandwell and West Birmingham MVP is led by Che Maclaren.
What we do?
The MVP members meet at least four times a year and share stories and opinions on different topics and their experiences of maternity services in a safe and accepting space.
We work together with the local NHS to identify themes for discussion and areas of concern. The MVP will then collect feedback on these themes and ensure improvements are made.
We have participated in “Fifteen Steps” activities in local hospitals, taking groups of service users around maternity departments to give their first impressions and suggest improvements. This has led to several hospital changes, including better signage and some decorative and environmental improvements on the ward.
Our overall aim is for maternity voices to be heard.
Maternity Voices Partnerships are independent groups of volunteers who come together to share their stories, opinions and experiences of NHS maternity services. Feedback from MVPs is shared with the NHS and used to improve services and systems for everyone.