Midwives are using automation to help manage referrals and appointments, slashing admin time and freeing them up to spend more time with women.
One NHS trust has introduced an automation programme, using a series of robots to streamline the booking and referrals process, as well as providing notifications of emergency department attendance, ensuring women receive timely care.
Another is using automation to identify and cancel antenatal follow-up appointments following delivery – reducing the admin burden and ensuring midwives can focus their time on those who need face-to-face care most.
Now these game-changing innovations can be shared across the UK through a new Digital Midwives Network Forum launched by the Royal College of Midwives (RCM).
The pioneering forum brings together 17 digital midwives from across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to share what’s working, replicate success and help trusts benefit from technology that makes midwives’ lives easier.
Doris Hayford, RCM Professional Advisor (Digital), set up the forum after identifying a gap in digital collaboration across the profession.
Doris said:
“When I was researching digital transformation across the UK as part of my role, I found it difficult to access information and there were no formal groups connecting digital midwives.
“There’s so much to learn from each other across the four countries and digital midwives have unique expertise that sits between clinical care and digital systems.
“The aim is to replicate good practice across health boards and NHS trusts. We have multiple different digital systems in use across the UK, so sharing what works well is invaluable.”
Members include digital midwives working across NHS trusts, health boards and with industry suppliers, with experience in clinical informatics, data and innovation.
The forum will focus on several key areas in its first year, including shaping the RCM’s digital strategy, promoting best practice and sharing innovations across health systems.
The 17 members meet every two months and membership lasts one year, with new expressions of interest opening this year. Members must be registered with the RCM and NMC and have digital transformation as part of their role – whether as a digital midwife, clinical informaticist or working with data.
Doris, who has been a midwife for 12 years and recently completed a master’s in health informatics, previously led the digital transformation from paper-based to electronic records at an NHS trust.
She said: “Digital midwifery is growing rapidly and it’s exciting because there are so many different elements to learn about – the innovations across the four countries, the different ways digital systems work and watching the network grow.
“There’s a lot of work happening in the background that will help improve the working lives of midwives and the care women and families receive.”
More information is available at rcm.org.uk/digital-midwife-network
