Are you pregnant? Sign up to test new midwifery service Juno

[GraceEMumsnet]

We are looking for Mumsnetters who are pregnant to test out Juno’s new midwifery service. Juno is an easy-to-use mobile app that gives you instant access to a network of expertly qualified paediatricians and now midwives.

Juno is currently only available on Apple iPhone or iOS devices. You’ll need to make sure that you’ve installed the latest version, instructions on how to do this here.

Here’s what Juno has to say: “Juno is such a great resource for new parents and parents-to-be. It will provide expecting and new mums with access to midwifery support at the touch of a button, to help alleviate anxieties and concerns at such an important time in their lives.

As we want to build the best possible tool, we want to quickly learn what you love and what you would like to see more of so that’s why we’re working with Mumsnet and all our product testers! We can’t wait to hear from you!”

Selected testers will be sent a unique link to the App Store and subscription code that will provide them with a free 6 week trial of the service, which usually costs £9.99 a month.

Once you’ve set up your account, you’ll need to set up your ‘baby bump’ profile and then start asking the midwives your questions. Don’t worry, they are ready to take any question that comes to mind!

Following testing the product, selected testers will need to give their feedback via a thread on Mumsnet and a short survey. All testers who give the required feedback will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £100 voucher for the store of their choice (from a list).

Please note that at the end of your exclusive offer period (6 weeks), if you haven’t cancelled your subscription, you will be charged going forward. However, you’ll also receive a reminder from Apple and an email from Mumsnet before this happens.

If you’re interested in taking part, please sign up here.

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Insight Terms and Conditions apply

[Pulledamonica]

I'd sign up to test but I'd want a full subscription for the duration of my pregnancy. Why would I want to test something so useful for only a fraction of my pregnancy? If you send physical products to people to test, they get to keep them.

[TOWGA]

I have signed up, I'm 24 weeks pregnant and seems like a good app for people like me that worry!

[Evidencebased]

Is this yet another in a long line of MNHQ promoting private medicine?
Do you support our NHS, with medicine free at the point of us efor all, or not?
Happy to promote a 2 tier system?
Happy for unequal health resources to go to those who can afford to pay over the odds?

[Doughnut100]

Thank you @Evidencebased

Why is mumsnet promoting private medicine? At a time like this when the NHS, although brought to its knees by Tory underfunding, has quite literally saved our country.

On demand medical attention for pregnant women - but only those who have spare cash to splash about. Who gives a toss about the ones desperately saving every penny for their new baby?

Elitist, American style services like this have no place in a forum that is supposed to be an inclusive place for all women and mothers. @GraceEMumsnet shame on you.

[SeaWitchly]

This seems like a trial to buy a service rather than a trial to test a service. I agree with PP who says the entire duration of the subscription should be free for those who agree to be testers as a thank you for their input. I also agree with PP that it is years of Tory underfunding of NHS maternity services which have brought us to this place. I would be interested to know who owns Juno and what connection they have to the Tory government... another Tory party donor or a family member perhaps

[ArtemisBean]

Yet another thing only available to Apple users 🙄

[ChancesWhatChances]

Why is mumsnet capitalising on pregnant women?

[ChancesWhatChances]

Also, MNHQ clearly don’t understand the way Apple works. You do not get reminders before your subscriptions renew, even finding your subscriptions within your mobile is a chore and a half. And MNHQ emails get diverted to most people’s spam inbox, so what real safeguards is MNHQ going to take to prevent pregnant women being out of pocket?

[ChancesWhatChances]

Also, your ad for this app really states who they’re targeting - vulnerable women who are overly anxious and want reassurance immediately. Absolutely disgusting to target people in that way.

[ChancesWhatChances]

Yet another comment too - that app isn’t a midwife service. Here’s the apps description in the App Store. Nowhere on the app description, provided by the developers of the app, does it mention midwifery services.

[VivaLeBeaver]

I’d be interested to know what Quality Assurance this app has? Are you vetted by the CQC?

Do you have written policies for the advice which your midwives should be giving or are they just free to decide what to advise themselves?

What sort of audit process do you have to ensure correct advice is being given.

What training and updating do your employees do?

Are they subject to mandatory annual training like an nhs midwife would be?

Can I remind any pregnant woman that the nhs should always be there to answer questions. Any medical type concerns you should always be able to get help. Midwives are there 24/7 on labour ward, most hospitals have a self referral antenatal assessment centre of some description where again you can ring and talk to someone and be seen if necessary.

For less pressing/general pregnancy questions Mumsnetters are generally quite good (obviously not for specific medical advice).

[Dowermouse]

Thank you women of Mumsnet, for your questioning, articulate, sceptical brains. Nobody is worth more money to marketers and data collectors than a pregnant woman.

[ChancesWhatChances]

@VivaLeBeaver according to their app description they employ paediatricians that are registered with the GMC and have membership with the royal college of paediatrics and children’s health. There is no midwives and the app states it’s to “ask questions and raise concerns about your child’s health”. There is no mention of pregnancy, midwives or face to face consultations anywhere on the app. It’s designed to you can private message a paediatrician and receive a reply to alleviate any anxieties you might have about your child’s health. If you have a real medical concern or if your child needs seen face to face you’d still need to contact your own GP and go through treatment that way.

It’s basically an app making money off anxious mothers that get worried if their child comes down with a cold. As an anxious mother who frequently gets extremely worried the second my child comes down with a cold, I think this app and MNHQ promotion of it a disgrace and it very coldly highlights the fact that MNHQ only see their users as cash cows. How sad how far they have fallen.

[VivaLeBeaver]

@ChancesWhatChances

Oh I totally agree with you about it being an app to make money of anxious mothers.

In the original post though it does state that they now have midwives so I would like my questions to be answered.

Though in truth the same questions stand for the paeds training/risk management/policies as they do for the midwives.

There's a deafening silence though. It's bad enough to make money off anxious mothers (though I also accept that some maternity care in some areas can not be as good when it comes to being able to ring someone up and ask questions as others). But I'm also worried about the quality of the information being given and how are they keeping a check on this?

[VivaLeBeaver]

juno is such a great resource for new parents and parents-to-be. It will provide expecting and new mums with access to midwifery support at the touch of a button, to help alleviate anxieties and concerns at such an important time in their lives

[celerrr]

@SeaWitchly

This seems like a trial to buy a service rather than a trial to test a service. I agree with PP who says the entire duration of the subscription should be free for those who agree to be testers as a thank you for their input. I also agree with PP that it is years of Tory underfunding of NHS maternity services which have brought us to this place. I would be interested to know who owns Juno and what connection they have to the Tory government... another Tory party donor or a family member perhaps

This ^

[Evidencebased]

Come on, @MNHQ; give us a response to several important issues raised.
There's much to love and value about MN, but this just ain't right, as several articulate posters have detailed.

[WendyJames35]

Pregnant women have numbers to call their community midwife, & direct access to triage/delivery suite free of charge.

[DonnatellaLyman]

to help alleviate anxieties and concerns at such an important time in their lives

I really really hope that these midwives are recognising when there is a concern over the health of mother and baby and encouraging women to seek help appropriately.

Also this service is what every pregnant woman in the UK can access 24h a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year via maternity triage, completely free on the nhs.

God, the bottle promoter ‘feeding specialist’ now this. Read the state of child health report 2020, that was pre pandemic. Mumsnet you should be ashamed.

[GladAllOver]

I'm genuinely shocked that Mumsnet is signing people up to private medicine. You've gone to far this time.

[GladAllOver]

too far, not to far.

[GraceEMumsnet]

Thanks for your feedback - we very much believe that Mumsnet should be a site that is welcome to all mothers and some mothers do prefer to use private midwives, or combine their NHS care with additional support from other sources, particularly if they've had traumatic experiences in the past. We realise this isn't a choice many could or would make but we think it might be a valid preference for some.

We also wanted to make it clear that all Mumsnet testers have the option to cancel their subscription immediately after activating their free trial and will continue to receive access for the 6 week period. We'll ensure any selected testers are aware of this, and we'll also send a reminder to all testers before the 6 week period ends.

Finally, we noticed that a few people had questioned whether or not Juno provides a Midwifery service at all. Currently Juno offers expert advice from Paediatricians but on March the 8th, they will be launching a new Midwifery service which is what we're asking Mumsnet users to test.

[Weirdnessabounds]

I will not be drawing a pregnant friend’s attention to this product test as I echo the PP’s concerns. A 6 week test, what use is that during the course of a pregnancy, apart from a blunt tool to encourage women to sign up to a cost of £9.99 per month.

[GraceEMumsnet]

Hi @VivaLeBeaver thanks for your questions. Juno have asked us to pass on their response:

Thank you for your message. You raise some really important points and I’m happy to have a chance to address them.

We take clinical standards and the safety of every user incredibly seriously. We have a range of policies and procedures in place that have been designed by leading clinicians and industry experts to make sure we give accurate and appropriate medical advice via Juno. Our CQC registration is pending.

We have strict policies and procedures in place as a company, but also for the expert Midwives and Paediatricians who work for Juno. All our midwives follow NICE guidance, as they would within their NHS employment, as well as follow our policies and guidelines. They also undertake mandatory training and assessments before being able to provide advice through the app.

We have Lead Midwives and Paediatricians who conduct regular internal audits to ensure all advice given meets our high standards of care. We hold regular knowledge sharing sessions to enable us to work successfully as a multidisciplinary team. The way we work is no different to that of an NHS Trust - the only difference is that we are a remote working team and communicate using secure, encrypted platforms that are made and used in NHS trusts.

All of the Midwives and Paediatricians providing advice through Juno provide support on a flexible basis, with the majority combining it with their career in the NHS. We are in no way aiming to replace NHS care and completely agree that Juno should be a supplementary option for users, should they want extra support in pregnancy or with their newborn.

We are a team of highly qualified medical professionals looking to help people online when they need it. We are not looking to replace the NHS, or online spaces where mums can get information from other mums. Our mission is to provide a safe platform online for women and parents to access professional support should they want it.

[NuclearDH]

Thanks for the response Grace.