Plans for employing non medically trained "mum's helpers" on maternity wards?

[Charlene1]

Hi, I heard something about this on news a few weeks ago, but can't find anything on the net about it. Apparently there are plans/ideas about creating jobs for non midwives to do fetching/carrying/helping new mothers on maternity wards. It wouldn't be anything medical like a midwife or healthcare assistant does, more like fetching them tea, plumping up pillows, handing them things when they can't move etc.
Has anyone else heard about this? If so, how soon are they going to have these jobs?
I would love to do something like this, as I would have killed to have someone helping me in hospital who didn't snap at me if I needed something after my caesarean and couldn't manage by myself.
I thought of being a midwife/doula/hca, but can't afford to study for 3 years, and I am too squeamish and would be too scared of missing something going wrong!

Sounds like a great idea, I had c sections and one night when DS woke and I couldn't move to lift him I was so stiff, midwife was most annoyed as I was supposed to be going home the next day, I forgave her as they were very busy and she kindof apologised later.

I would consider this job myself too. Great way to support new mums, would have to be the right kind of people, not like some (yes only some) scary overbearing HVs.

Haven't heard anything about that, but what an excellent idea. Maybe some of them could help with feeding too.

I remember feeling that the staff, although kind, were very rushed and didn't have much time. So I never got the hang of it.

Also someone for new mums to chat to about how they feel (often scared) would be good.

I thought hcas where they exist already do these kind of things. My postnatal ward didn't seem to have any hcas and I could have done with one - I hadn't had a caesarian but gave birth at 4.29 am after a very loooooooooooooonnng labour so could have done with a little more support while my mum and dp were off getting a bit of sleep.

That sounds like such a good idea; I remember when I had DD1 in St Thomas's, I was thrilled but sooo bewildered (and knackered to boot of course) and luckily there was a lovely experienced mum in the bed opposite who took me under her wing a bit she had just given birth too so I couldn't bother her much, but the whole hospital birth experience would have been so much better had someone been there specifically to support me and others

But the problem is these people will cost money, meaning there will be even less money to spend on midwives. I can't get a job as it is and imagine this will make it even harder.

If there were a decent number of midwives employed then we would have time to do this, and its often when you are helping new mums or fetching pillows that you build up a relationship with the woman and she then feels happier to tell you or ask you something she was too embarrassed to before, etc.

To be honest where I trained I don't think we need them. We have 2 HCAs on every shift who do this.

hcas should do this sort of thing shouldnt they??.......

charlene1, doula training doesnt take 3yrs, why not to that. its is v rewarding.

there are HCAs at the hospital i doula at. I agree with SKSS, that this is an way of getting help in that costs less than midwives, but does not address teh real and every day problem that there are not enough midwives. just another way to divert attention and resources from teh real issue. but the maternity unit are dicussing volunteer peer supporters for breastfeeding which i think is a good idea

HCAs are trained on the job too, so you are working straight away. Hospitals are often looking for HCAs for the maternity wards.

I get what you are saying and would definitely have liked that for DD 1 too. This said, if it is a side way to sort out the midwife shortage issue, then I would rather be allowed to take my independent midwife to hospital with me

I don't remember seeing any HCA's when I was on the maternity ward!

I would love to do a job like that. If I did I would do peer-to-peer BF counselling training or similar.

I would have loved and experienced bf mum to give me a hand during the first couple of days, one midwife in particular was fantastic but they were all so busy, the ward was crammed when dd was born.

health care assistant

hmmm, there is a some thought in it but i am getting sick of the number of less qualified (and cheaper) people being put in places to 'help' this just seems like community suppport officers and police men all over again.

i have worked in nhs hospitals, and was wxpecting to train but gave up because i didnt like the paperwork pushing, all the most qualified staff the ward sisters for example were essentially hands off with patient care, while the least trained hca, student nurses etc. were the ones who spent the most time with the patients.

i feel that although it is a nice idea, what will eventually happen is too much responsibility will be placed on the untrained staff, surely if a midwife was to help a woman with mobility, pick up her baby this is the time they pick up on warning signs of any complications, ie. does the baby look a bit yellow, should it be watched to see if jaundice develops, if a woman is having trouble moving does she need to be checked again later for blood loss and fluid retention.

Charlene, sounds like Health care assistant to me under a different name!

If you are interested in doing this kind of work then i would suggest this. You dont have to train for 3 yrs. Its sort of on the job training working towards NVQ's. HCA'a where i work are great. Have loads more responsibilitess these days. As well as helping with breakfast, helping to shower, emptying catheters etc., most also offer bf support(do same study days as midwives)and of course helping with ff. Some take blood pressure and quite a few are taking blood now too. Also if you are able to do your midwifery training at a later date you will be well equipped! Another job is maybe bf support worker (if you are interested in this particular area?). Not sure about training involved in becoming a doula?

Only read the op but I used to work on a maternity ward as hca, you don't need any qualifications to be one and we did all you described, as well as helping mums with babycare and breastfeeding etc. Why don't you look on NHS jobs, they are usually crying out for Hca's, it's a bugger of a job mind.

It does sound like a HCA, I guess they are just giving it a new title to sound like they are doing something to help the pressure on midwives and to make the role sound more interesting. HCA's usually have to work on rotation so some shifts you would be working in the labour ward where the HCA's main responsibilty is to clean up the rooms after delivery which is not so nice and if there are many people being admitted and dsicharged on a ward you could spend the whole day making beds and not really have much time to spend with mothers.

Well if it is an HCA under another name, that's not so bad, wouldn't it be lovely to have some HCA's rostered specifically to care for the Mums and babies rather than the shitty jobs? Nicer for the HCA's if they get to do that every other week or whatever and much nicer for the Mums.

It depends on how busy ward is really for anyone to do nicer stuff. When its not too busy, it means all staff, HCA's, nursery nurses, midwives, student midwives, bf ing workers all have more time to spend with mothers, whether helping or just chatting. Unfortunately, doesnt happen often enough.

if the ward is busy then it would be even more important to have HCA's specifically there to help the mums.

Shame there isn't a bottomless pit of cash...

They wouldnt end up helping the mothers, theyd end up helping with crap jobs that needed doing when it got busy!

Most HCA works on the maternity wards as they want to be with mother and babies if you had 2 seperate roles, one looking after m&B and one doing the crappy jobs no one would want to do the crappy jobs.

My official title was maternity support worker, and we were employed to be "different" to the HCA's, more focused on patient care etc. This lasted erm 2 weeks at most. Often you would be the only Hca type person on a shift and just end up running round like a blue arsed fly, with 6 midwives asking you to do 6 things at the same time.

It was mostly our responsibility to answer call bells, even when it was quiet on a night and there were 4 midwives and an HCA sitting in the office, if a bell went they would all turn to look at you.

Thats what I found the hardest about the job, the complete skivvy aspect. Some midviwes are lovely, and appreciate that you are busy etc. Others are lazy bints who expect to click there fingers and you will come running.

They now have MCA's on the maternity ward my mum works on, They are all HCA's with a new title and a bigger list of jobs to do. Still on exactly the same pay though.

My mum has done it for years and when she started the job was exactly as the OP describes that this new position will be. Over the years though they have been expected to do more and more, ie cleaning, clerical work on top of the big load of work they already have.

It is a nice idea but it won't work.

It worries me - apparantly some MCAs are now doing home postnatal visits by themselves! It would be so easy to miss something, not realise the significance of a comment the mum makes about herself or the baby.

There is talk at one hospital about MCAs supporting women in labour and the midwife coming in at the end forthe actual birth.

I'm sorry but would you want someone who has attended a 2 day moving and handling course and been shown how to take blood pressure looking after you or someone who has had 3 years of intensive training and experience?

that is a worry !!! costcutting on ante, intra and post natal care is a false economy...