Supervisors of Midwives

[Aboxofmaltesers]

As a student SoM I'm looking for inspiration about how to raise the profile of supervision in my locality. I just wondered how visible SoM's are in different regions? Did you find them easy to access? Apart from the odd poster there is no 'advertising' in my locality and I'm looking at ways to improve women's awareness of supervision. Thought the best place to start was to ask service users!
Thanks

Me neither, never been mentioned to me. 40+1 today.

Sorry but i'm a paediatric nurse and even i don't know who you are! I've only ever seen the role mentioned on here with regards to complaints and debriefing. Would be interested to find out though if you're someone who could be of benefit to our new mum's.

I know who the local SoM is and who the local SoCM is but only because of non-supportive CMW. I have even had a SoM in my house twice - once to book a HB and once attending a HB. I have found they were very knowledgeable and extremely supportive of home birth - which makes you wonder why the MW who they supervise aren't at all.....

I'd never heard of SoM in my first two pregnancies, and the only reason I know what one is now is because there was a leaflet advertising their services in my pack that I received when I booked in with the midwife.

I received a leaflet explaining their services at booking in and thought nothing of it.

Then I did a little reading on here about twin deliveries and contacted the SoM office to ask for hospital protocols, they sent it promptly.

On my actual delivery (a tad 'dramatic') the SoM took charge alongside the consultant, and made it clear to me that in her role as an SoM if I had any queries or needed to revisit any of it, then I could contact her. When I was on the ward she came to check on me if she was on duty too. Weeks after my DTS were discharged from NICU she came to my house and went though my notes.

I love her, she held me together during some of hardest days of my life and I credit that system, and her brilliant application of it, with really helping me come to terms with it afterwards.

As I feared..... we definitely need to raise the profile of supervision then!
Apart from leaflets, has anybody else heard of supervision??!!

Twelve - so glad to hear of a supportive SoM. There is hope!

I knew about mine, but only because she was my allocated midwife. I do vaguely recollect a poster on the wall of the health centre where the community midwives were based.....

2 pregnancies here. One in 2008 and one in 2010, both in Luton. I have never come across the term supervisor of midwives and would not have a clue what they did.

Incidentally I have a very severe needle/medical phobia - not sure if this service is just a postnatal thing but I did try to access additional help antenatally and never cams across this.

I got a leaflet at my booking appointment but am totally confused about why I would need to contact a supervisor. So far my midwifery care has been OK, but I am only 17 weeks...

I've met 2 of ours here as I was a PITA high risk homebirth planner.

I knew about them as others had mentioned them on homebirth.org.uk and here. There was one crappy poster about them on a crowded notice board in the antenatal/gynae scanning waiting room and that was it, but even that was a table of hierarchy with no contact details or info for a non-medical person. If I'd not had the Internet I'd never have known about them.

One of my two asked me the exact same question actually.

Actually this thread is making me a bit sad, because mine was so good and helped me so much, that I would hate it if some other brilliant members of staff and women in need (in fact DH got a huge amount of the debrief as well) weren't meeting up due to some crap reason.

I doubt I would've been so aware of them without this site though, maybe all those stupid bounty packs should have the info more clearly in.

I know what you do but I'm a MW! Perhaps you could explain for the others what your role is as there are varied aspects and some are more proactive than others.

www.nmc-uk.org/Get-involved/Consultations/Midwives-rules/What-is-supervision-of-midwives/

I'm useless at doing links.... and that website from the Nursing and Midwifery Council is a good explanation of what is a very varied role.

i had a SoM when i was overdue - she was there to back up the MW when i needed to be told off for not wanting to induce labour.

as far as i knew, isn't it just a MW's next in command? like line manager?

link

I know all about them! Currently sitting next to one!! :o My mum!!

I've heard of them as I'm involved with my local Maternity Services Liaison Committee - although I still need to find out more about what they do.

Have you been in touch with your MSLC?

Nickel - I bow to your superior IT skills
TheJoyfulPJ - Yes, a SOM would support you in any maternity related topic, and act as an advocate.
Piprabbit - believe or believe it not we don't have an active MSLC which as a group of SOM's we are trying to address. I'm looking for ideas from women about how we can make ourselves and the role of the SoM more visible.
Sadly it would seem that it's a problem in many regions.
Friendly - ask your mum for any ideas

Do you think attending the more 'commercial' events like Baby road shows and the like would be a good idea?

Do you attend the ParentCraft sessions/Ante-Natal sessions the local MW dept run? I think that may be a good way to increase visibility of your role.

With pleasure - she's no longer sitting next to me now, have fed her and she's gone home now!! Will text her and ask.