Campaign to end Bounty sales reps' access to maternity wards - please read and share

[JustineMumsnet]

Evening all,

Thanks to all of you who have taken the time to fill in our survey on Bounty and share your stories - from the initial idea onwards, this really is a campaign that has been prompted by your concerns, as posted on Mumsnet.

The survey showed that a very large majority (82%) felt it was unacceptable for Bounty sales reps to be on hospital wards, as well as highlighting a number of other concerns about Bounty reps' selling practices, so we're calling on government to end this kind of direct selling/data collecting on NHS wards. See more here.

It's clear, from the survey results, that, even after Bounty updated its code of conduct (these results only include users who gave birth from May 2012 - the full results containing prior data are here) its practices leave a lot to be desired, and that Mumsnet users feel very strongly that the maternity ward is no place for a hard sell, so we're really hoping that government will listen to us.

Here's how you can help...

Please sign the petition

If you're on Twitter please tweet your support for the campaign with the hashtag #bountymutiny and the following link:

tiny.mn/1bsnpNw

If you're on Facebook then please like campaign page our campaign page (there's a FB link to click at the top on the left).

If you're on Google+, well, you'll know what to do.

We'll, of course, keep you posted here about the campaign and any developments. Thanks to everyone for their stories, honesty and input. Here's hoping we can make a difference!

girlie in some Trusts they do just hand out the packs - because they still get advertising revenue.

Of course the packs don't have to stop, but putting the child benefit form in them and handing them out on the ward gives them an incredible endorsement for a start, not to mention advertising has no place on a ward. I've seen so many Americans respond to this that this is because we have free health care and it's really not! There's no reason it should happen.

Emma's diary for example isn't in hospitals, you take a card to the chemist and they give you one, puts the emphasis where it should be - in a shop!

notanothermummyblog.com/2013/07/02/the-bounty-mutiny-lets-ban-sales-reps-from-nhs-postnatal-wards/

You joined up (and we know you did by the first comment) just to have your say. You might not have deliberately got the topic wrong but you didn't find out what it is we object to, just wanted to join the big debate.

In reality MN is nothing like you see and hear, you won't regret posting if you take time to understand the conversation and don't expect pink fluff. People say it straight but the MN heart is gold and you'll be hard pressed to find a more supportive and proactive site. Site search Woolly Hugs I'd you don't believe me We don't jump on bandwagons, we get behind campaigns we believe in and will make life better for other women and other mums. I'm honestly proud of the site and being a part of it for 6 years.

I think the point someone made a little up the thread about the length of time women are now on the wards is a good one.

I was discharged from an NHS hospital a day after giving birth - first baby, long labour & complications] and seen at home by the midwives. So that time in the hospital was very, very busy, with all the checks from various HCPs. Is that different from how it used to be?

There simply isn't time now for a commercial bed-to-bed sell on top of everything else. If you aren't seeing an HCP then you should be left alone, full stop. If you were in there for 2 or 3 days it would not be so intrusive as you'd have had a bit longer to recover from the birth, but that first 24 hours (which is all many women have, or even shorter) are too soon to make rational decisions about anything.

Perhaps these shorter stays are also why the bounty women are targetting women so much closer to the time of birth - they know that they will be gone in a matter of hours so have to move faster.

Sorry if this point has already been made (I have RTFT though!)

I remember getting a very useful take-home bag of goodies - sample products targeted on new mums - when I came out of the maternity hospital. Samples of all kinds of things including a tiny sudocream pot - which was all I every needed.

I've looked up the bounty website so I can officially complain.
I can't find a complaints section, nor an email address to write to.
Can anyone help?

I thought that if everyone who is posting on here (against bounty that is!) puts in an actual complaint then at least their complaints stats go up.

As let's face it, who has the energy to complain when you get home from hospital.

Ooh, that's interesting isn't it ?

No way to complain on their website ... Funny that they get so few complaints then ?!

Brilliant blog suffolk.

It's clearly a 'thin end of the wedge' situation where they've gradually become pushier and greedier and more arrogant and have hopefully now gone too far, as sackings from some hospitals would suggest.

May it continue. It's a real standoff, isn't it? They are in danger of losing more contracts and yet I don't get the impression they are doing much about it.

Am I missing something here? I always liked the Bounty Packs we got in hospital. I am not sure why there would be a problem with it. So, we have to delete the occasional targeted email? So what?

I realise that some people have been receiving emails despite a loss which is, of course, unacceptable and deplorable.

Maybe I am not seeing the big picture though.

Yes, you answered your own question there I think gee - you need to look at the bigger picture and not necessarily just you're own personal experience. (Which to be fair you are already doing when you mention the experience of mothers who've experienced a loss)

In answer to your question "Am I missing something here ?" I'd say YES !

You're missing real woman centred care on the post-natal wards.
A bag of crap from the Bounty lady with a commercial agenda, and untrained in any real appropriate care of new mothers or their babies, is a very poor substitute.

Ok, thank you. So am I to take it then that these Bounty women are supposed to be the only people providing appropriate care of new mothers and babies?

When I had DS and DD (6 and 5 years ago) all the Bounty lady did was give us a bag. I am pregnant again now, so I am wondering what state our maternity wards are in if they are now providing the care and not just a bag of crap (which was fairly useful back in those days, though maybe not so useful now).

Well, I don't know about your experience on the post-natal wards gee - I really hope it was better than mine, and will be again. (Congrats BTW !) I only went there with DD for a night - with DS I chose to go straight home.
I found it pretty basic and dire really. Got very little sleep (partly due to crazy bright lights from hospital building opposite - very poor ineffectual curtains) - and found there was no-one really available to talk with about anything. Occasionally got asked very perfunctory questions like has baby had a wet nappy. Received some minor medical care from one nurse. Was mildly irritated by Bounty lady visit. And then was allowed home in the morning when DH came in to collect us !
I couldn't wait to get home, and as I said fortunately skipped the post-natal ward experience with DC2.

For me this Bounty Mutiny is a tip of the iceberg thing - it's more about the wider vision of what good post-natal care in hospital should be. And it's about other people's experiences too - and making things better for women in the future. Such an important time for women - things should be better than this !

Wow, sounds like you had an awful time. I agree improving post natal care is essential.

I had a fantastic experience with DS. I am not sure how long I was there. i am sure it was at least 2 nights but DH says not. I think I may still have been doped up (which probably contributed to the fantastic experience). Anyway, midwives came around day and night to help out. I don't even remember the Bounty lady but I remember the bag of stuff.

DD I was out of hospital 12 hours after having her and was in my own room prior to that. Again, I don't recall the Bounty lady at all.

I am thankful that I was so lucky. It sounds as though other people have had it worse (now that I have had a chance to read a few more of the posts above).

I am hoping things are the same if not better this time around. Thanks for the congratulations!!

geeandfee the question is not whether you want the bag, but whether somebody from Bounty ought to turn up in person at women's bedsides when they are inpatients in hospital. Obviously some people in that situation will be feeling better than others, for a whole variety of reasons, and the Bounty rep can't ever know the full story of each woman.

You could get the bag in many other ways, just as, for example, those who want to join the Boots Parenting Club can go and sign up and collect their free changing bag in store. Nobody from Boots comes to you when you are in bed, in hospital, to ask if you want it. Did you really feel that a personal visit from Bounty was right or necessary?

I have been following this since December and congratulate redtoothbrush on your dedication and hard work, it is obvious by the overwhelming replies that bed to bed selling and the resulting distress at the time and indeed afterwards has got to end. Could I just point out the campaign title 'end Bounty Reps access to Maternity Wards' however seems to leave no room for negotiation, there have been numerous ladies that have asked for the salespeople to be in their own room, not approach the beds but be available for those who wish. It would be interesting to see what % would be happy with this, as I would be. Thus saving approximately 500 mums jobs, who are looking likely to be sacked just before Christmas. Something along the lines of 'end Bounty Reps bedside access on Maternity Wards'

Just to let you know, we've edited milktraylady's post to remove a RL name. Do please let us know if you hear anything back from your MP.

I found the bounty rep at Raigmore hosp, Inverness very friendly and kind. They took beautiful photos of both my children when they were born and would be very upset if they weren't there in the future to take more of any more children i may have. They didn't put any pressure on me to buy from them straight away and told me to have a think about what i wanted then order later online. it's sad that so many people seem to of had such negative experiences with Bounty but both times I've been very pleased with them

Personally I would rather miss out on a bit of free tat, (and I'm perfectly capable of taking my own pictures), to ensure mothers who have lost their babies don't get hastled repeatedly by Bounty reps.

Super that is precisely the point.

Post natal ward is not the appropriate place for marketing sales people hassling us.
It's not happening on the oncology ward, so why postnatal?

Hayleylouiseg, well they won't be there in the future as NHS Highland have given them notice.