resources
Reaching out project resource
Zita Killick, Senior Lecturer (Midwifery), Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford, Essex, UK, reviews the Reaching Out Project resource. Available from The Reaching Out Project, Medact. E-mail: info@medact.org. www.medact.org
The Reaching Out Project aims to improve access to maternity services for various groups including minority ethnic women and those with little or no English. Perhaps women may not know which health professional to approach for maternity services and it is recognised that women may seek advice from people they know within their social network.
This picture-based resource has been designed for anyone interested in maternity care, especially for community groups, who can share information and provide peer support.
The recommendation is that two or more people look at the pack together so they can discuss issues raised. One person should have read the booklet before the storyboards are used, which is very sensible advice, particularly if use of English language is a problem.
The clearly laid out booklet, written by two midwives, explains how to use the three storyboards provided on pregnancy, birth and becoming a parent. A variety of photographs illustrates the range of people who might use the pack and shows some using the storyboards.
Three symbols are used to remind readers of other help that may be needed, for example to ask for an interpreter or to ask about choices available or to talk about feelings.
The storyboards consist of seven or eight pages which unfold, concertina-style, to give 12 or 14 items of advice. The storyboards are an excellent idea to encourage discussion in a non-threatening way, with small amounts of text and lots of colourful drawings to illustrate topics. The same symbols are repeated in each section to encourage the people using this pack to decide what other help they might need, rather than be passive recipients of unwanted or unnecessary care.
The booklet gives straightforward, up-to-date advice on maternity care in the UK, and care in pregnancy and birth by midwives and other health and social care professionals.
Information is given about antenatal checks, support for mental health or for social problems, planning for birth, managing birth, including skin to skin contact with the baby straight after birth. The possibility of caesarean section is also mentioned, preparing people for the fact that complications may arise but reassuring them that provision for care is in place. Care for mother and baby after birth includes advice on feeding, baby checks, such as the blond spot test around five days and support for the mother.
Several useful website addresses are included within the booklet for further advice in areas such as getting National Health Service care, eating well, breastfeeding, and for help with a difficulty such as domestic violence or female genital mutilation — the latter issue's hard for anyone to deal with, but perhaps more so if someone has little or no English and no knowledge of any support services.
The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS), Maternity Liaison Services Committee and the Supervisor of Midwives are all included as sources of help and advice.
The appendix in the booklet gives a useful glossary plus contact details of various organisations.
Certainly this pack appears to be a useful, up-to-date resource to improve knowledge and promote access to maternity services.