New parents can now access everything from mealtime details to discharge guidance at their bedside across Essex hospitals – thanks to a clever new initiative developed in response to patient feedback.
A4 wipe-clean placements packed with key information to support patients throughout their postnatal stay and beyond have been introduced at maternity wards across Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, ad the mats feature details on everything from visiting hours and infant feeding support to going-home checklists and chaplaincy contacts.
This will make sure parents have essential information with easy reach.
These were developed in collaboration with the Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership (MNVP), alongside input from the Trust’s patient experience team, clinicians, and specialists, making sure they’re not only informative, but also safe and practical.
Sarah Soanes, Lead Midwife for Patient Experience at the Trust, said: “It was essential to make sure we included the information most important to patients and their families during their hospital stay. Having the placemats on hand means parents can easily refer to important details whenever they need to, this includes key information about the ward, support services available to them and discharge planning.
“We know that patients sometimes feel there are delays in discharge, so by clearly outlining the process we aim to set out what to expect and support families in getting ready to go home. Patients will still receive this information from staff, but now they’ll also have it close to hand throughout their stay.”
The placemats not only include essential discharge planning details, covering the newborn infant physical examination, postnatal video resources, and take-home medication guidance, but also highlight the Birth Reflections service and mental health support.
This means parents continue to feel empowered and care for even after they leave the hospital – and with thoughtful design and practical content, these maternity placemats show how clear communication and patient-focussed tools can make a real difference in care and reassurance for new parents.
