Who's Who
During your pregnancy you may see some or all of these members of our maternity team. If you are unsure what our role is, please do ask us. We will all be more than happy to answer any queries and concerns.
Midwife
A midwife can be a man or a woman trained to at least degree level. These healthcare professionals are expert in looking after you and your baby’s wellbeing during pregnancy, labour, and the first few days after your baby is born. Their role includes measures aimed at preventing health problems in pregnancy, the detection of abnormal conditions and requesting medical assistance when necessary.
Professional Midwifery Advocates (PMAs)
PMAs are experienced midwives who have had additional training to help support their maternity colleagues in their roles and in providing high quality midwifery care. Your midwife may seek support from a PMA in relation to clinical care and/or for professional guidance. PMAs also carry out birth reviews with you, your birth partners and family members and can take on board feedback about your care.
Find out more about birth reviews. To contact a PMA please email: lg.pmas@nhs.net.
Obstetricians
A consultant obstetrician is a doctor who has successfully completed specialised training in the management of people who have more complicated pregnancies, labours and the early days after your baby is born, called the postnatal period. You may also meet other doctors in the maternity unit who have completed their foundation postgraduate training and are working in the structured specialist training programme supported by the consultant obstetricians.
Student midwives
Student midwives work alongside experienced midwives on placements throughout our hospital and community settings. They are studying midwifery at one of our partner universities. They work under close supervision and only undertake tasks they have been trained to do. We are proud to be training the next generation of midwives. If you would prefer not to have a student midwife participating in your care, please tell your midwife.
Maternity Support Workers (MSW)
Our MSWs work within our hospitals and in community settings. In all settings they are very important members of our maternity team. They work without the need for direct supervision in some circumstances and always have very clear channels of communication with a midwife each day to ensure any concerns around the your or your baby’s care are escalated appropriately.
Maternity Care Assistants (MCA)
MCAs work mainly in the hospital setting, ensuring that the physical needs of those we care for are met and that the environment in which you are cared for is both clean and tidy. MCAs may undertake limited clinical duties, for example taking your blood pressure, if the midwife delegating the task fis confident that it is both safe and appropriate to do so.
Infant feeding team
You may meet our infant feeding team either before you have your baby, at the breastfeeding classes or after your baby’s birth, on the postnatal ward. They will be happy to support you as you and your baby learn to breastfeed or if you need support with bottle feeding.
Housekeepers
Our housekeepers work tirelessly to keep the wards clean and tidy and the equipment used in your care both clean and functioning effectively .
Administrative team
Our admin staff are the first point of contact for patients and visitors. They work as key members of the reception and ward teams, providing administrative support and cover across maternity, gynaecology clinics and maternity wards.
Their duties include:
- Maintaining patient records relating to each specific clinic, using information supplied by clinicians
- Making appointments for all patients attending clinics and issuing appointment letters
- Answering the phone following an agreed customer service protocol.
Anaesthetists
Anaesthetists are specially qualified doctors who have completed further training to safely give patients anaesthetic medication and pain relief during medical and surgical procedures. You will an anaesthetist if you want an epidural or need to go to the operating theatre, for example for a caesarean birth.
Neonatologists/Paediatricians (doctors for newborn babies and children)
A paediatrician is a doctor who has additional training to look after the medical care of infants and children.
Health visitors
Health visitors are qualified registered nurses or midwives with specialist qualifications in community health, which includes child health, health promotion and education. Your health visitor has unique professional expertise to deliver universal child and family health services. They work closely with your local children’s centres and other partners to ensure that all families have access to the support they need when children are in their early years. This is a partnership between you both, focusing on your own and your children’s health and wellbeing. Health visitors help families stay in touch with wider sources of support and lead on health improvement on subjects such as healthy eating, accident prevention and emotional wellbeing.
All staff you meet during your pregnancy, the birth of your baby and after your baby is born should introduce themselves to you. All our staff wearing an identification badge. If you do not know who the person caring for you or visiting you at home is, please ask them for their name and role in your care.