Maternity care standards

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Document Type

Standards

Summary

The Scottish Government has commissioned us to develop standards for maternity care in Scotland. These standards will support a holistic approach to improving and sustaining quality maternity care across Scotland.

This approach will ensure that all women/birthing people and their babies who access maternity services, receive consistent, person-centred, compassionate, high-quality care and support, regardless of their individual circumstance or needs.

The standards cover maternity care delivered in all settings, and apply to:

  • care partners, where appropriate, of people experiencing maternity services.
  • all women/birthing people experiencing maternity care in Scotland
  • all babies receiving core newborn care, until their care is transferred to the universal health visiting service (usually at ten days old)

Consultation survey

The maternity care standards are out for consultation until 7 November.

Take part in our consultation on Smart Survey

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There are seven standards within the draft, which cover:

  • Principles of care
  • Leadership and culture
  • High performing and functioning teams
  • Core care: antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal assessment and care
  • Unscheduled and additional care
  • Mental health and wellbeing: women/birthing people and babies
  • Loss and bereavement

Further information on the background to the standards development can be found within the draft standards consultation document.

A summary of the responses to the consultation will be made available on request. You can request them from the project team at his.standardsandindicators@nhs.scot