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Poster presentation:
Smoking and pregnancy. Modern networks for improving practice and services
Carmel O'Gorman
Abstract
The profile of smoking in pregnancy is currently high. NHS stop smoking advisors have a key role in delivering targets for reducing smoking rates in pregnancy. The CMO highlights that the West Midlands has perinatal and infant mortality rates that are consistently higher than national rates and shows increases in infant mortality against a downward trend. There are also high rates of smoking in pregnancy in the WM.
Who are we and why are we here? "We are front line staff working in the field of smoking in pregnancy. We held our first meeting of 5 in September 2003. Before then, we were working in isolation with varying levels of support. We work with a challenging group and meet to obtain peer support and share best practice. Over the past two years the network has grown beyond our initial expectation. Together we can and do achieve great things".
The network model
· Aims to improve practice and services for pregnant women
· Bi-monthly, multidisciplinary meetings held
· Standardised data collection
· Facilitates audit
· Dedicated website: www.perinatal.nhs.uk/smoking
· Accessible to colleagues from across 3 WM SHA regions.
· Supports colleagues outside the WM
· Establishment of a secondment post to further develop the network
· Partnership working with the WM Perinatal Institute and WM Government Public Health Group
· Involved in research led by Michael Ussher - examining whether cravings in pregnancy are any different from the general population of smokers
· Involvement in NICE guidance development process
· Addressing training and educational needs
· Hosted a national conference
"This conference has informed and will improve my practice"
March 2005
The poster presentation will describe a network that supports the professional development of staff that are on the frontline of improving maternal health, infant mortality rates and reducing health inequalities
Biography
Carmel O'Gorman began her professional career as a nurse and midwife, having worked mainly in the North of England, but more recently in the West Midlands Region. Her current post is as the Midwifery Lead for Smoking Cessation in Pregnancy at Good Hope NHS Trust Hospital in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham. This post is unique since it is jointly funded by North Birmingham PCT which offers the opportunity of partnership working. Supported by her colleagues from NHS Stop Smoking Services Carmel also set up the West Midlands Smoking Cessation in Pregnancy (SCIP) network which she co-ordinates.
A women's health advocate with a particular interest in the tobacco problem and the special concerns about women smoking, she is also a graduate in Women's Health studies at the University of Central England in Birmingham. She also enjoys talking on the impact of tobacco on women's health to pre and post graduate students at the UCE.
In recognition of the need for moral support , the initial meeting was held in September 2003 and was attended by 5 NHS stop smoking advisors in the West Midlands. It is pleasing to note that over the last 2 ½ years, the network has developed beyond all expectation. It now has over 15 -20 members who either have an interest in, or are working directly with pregnant smokers. It holds regular "multidisciplinary" meetings in Birmingham. There is emphasis at each meeting on providing informal peer support and 'networking' time. Individuals are also given opportunity to present their work to their colleagues.
The network is fortunate that there is partnership working with the WM Perinatal Institute and WM Government Public Health Group. Their on-going key support is important in order to sustain the network.
In short the network aims to pool and share expertise and skills, share best practice, promote collaborative working, distil the evidence and improve peer support and interaction to avoid professional isolatioOver the past two years there have been challenges as well as successes. There is still a long way to go and we remain committed to improving our practice and services for pregnant women and their families. We are extremely proud of our achievements so far.
Author 1: Carmel O'Gorman
Network Co-ordinator
Good Hope Hospital
Rectory Road
Sutton Coldfield
B75 7RR
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