Minutes of the AGM, 7 October 2008, Fields Childrens Centre

In Attendance:

Sue Allen-Mills, Bob Dawson,Judy Sotudeh, Kayleigh Wallace,Victoria Frost, Helen McCarthy, Fran Crouch, Veronica Speirs, Tracey Bennett, Caroline Newey, Maddie McMahon, Theresa Bateman, Anne Harvey, Lynne Harland, Tracey Johnson, Linda Henderson, Fiona Wade, Sarah Carrie, Tara Fayod, Candice Lattimore, Amanda Turner, Kate Rowley, Helen Wright, Judith Green, Jo Brown, Rita Levitt, Alison Marcus, Morag Goodwin, Alexander Taylor, Mary Wright, Kimberley Skinner, Rachel O'Leary, Lee Robertson, Wilf Kelsall, Cheryl France, Louise Mitton, Sarah Lumley

1. Apologies for absence

Received from:

Sarah Ockwell-Smith, Chris Hackett, Emma Hardwick, Alison Kelly, Nicky Munro, Joanne Maxwell

2. Chair

Sue Allen-Mills thanked Maddie McMahon, Gill October, Bob Dawson and Angela Hayes for their involvement in the MSLC and in putting together this evenings AGM.

Sue Allen-Mills provided information regarding MSLC and the commitment of the MSLC to reach a wider section of the community. SA-M encouraged the audience to ask parents who have experience of maternity care to join the committee. SA-M referred to the Annual Report and invited the audience to note the achievements of the past year.

3. Presentation by Helen McCarthy, Practice Development Midwife and Supervisor of Midwives

A very well received presentation entitled “Facilitating Normal Birth” with many questions from the audience – key points:

Helen confirmed 1 : 1 care for mothers in established labour 100% of the time

Noted that Addenbrooke’s are committed to developing MLBU

Current rates of C. Section. 25% - slight reduction.

Emphasis on mothers setting out their wishes in terms of birth preference

4. Presentation by Pat Ingham , Midwife Counsellor

Pat described the arrangements for the Birth Afterthoughts service and the opportunity to make the service available long after the event - 14 years in one case.

Noted that:
 Notes kept for 21 years
 National recognition of the service. Pat Ingham has done a report of one year of referrals.
 Emotional support for midwife from BA service and regular meetings/debriefing
 Debriefing with parents can be done outside the hospital.
 3 monthly teaching sessions enable feedback
 Feeding issues are addressed by the service
 Urgent need for feeding specialist midwife now on the team and this will help
 Partners come to about 50% of the sessions.
 Contact to BA is direct

5. Vote of thanks and end of meeting

Sue Allen-Mills thanked Helen and Pat for their excellent presentations which had stimulated a lot of discussion and debate.

The formal part of the meeting closed, and was followed by refreshments.