LSA Audit 2012/13

How satisfied were you with the following ?

Please prioritise the listed functions of supervision of midwives in order of importance

Please rate your confidence in the following :

How do you work in partnership with women ?

Are you confident in supporting midwives requiring:

What have you found rewarding/challenging in being a Supervisor in the last 12 months? As I am still new to the challenge of supervision it is too early to say what I have found rewarding as my supervision journey is ongoing. It has been a time of change and turbulence as supervisory colleagues have become disillusioned and resigned. Undertaking SOM investigation was a challenge but resulted in a good outcome for the midwives so that was rewarding and also rewardingto know the investigation was good The increasing numbers of supervisory investigations. Feeling more confident when undertaking investigations Rewarding: appreciation from midwives when supporting them through difficult situations. Challenging: reminding management that the roles differ. Combining the increasing number of investigations with the day job. Feels like holding down 2 full time jobs. rewarding- supporting my supervisees, growing as a body of supervisors and therefore being more proactive challenging- learning to work with managers but knowing when to stand my ground as a som Only my newly gained experience in supervised practice program support. Nil else. rewarding - being there to support colleagues when issues arise challenging - finding the time to achieve a totally effective role as a supervisor Undertaking investigations Enjoy one to one with Supervisee's Challenging is the lack of time to undertake supervision Being approached for support and guidance very rewarding and being able to provide. Juggling work commitments, management and supervision. Always playing catch-up finding time to complete notes reviews and investigations have been challanging, however I spoke to a new group of midwives about supervision and that was fantastic! Rewarding - seeing midwives develop, enhance their practice. Challenging the time to aprticipate in supervised practice programmes effectivley The challenge of managing a busy community caseload and the management of the team and finding time for supervision. sucessful supervised practice programme enjoy investigations where I have identified good practice and been able to let the midwives involved know. Being supportive and a guide to development of midwives. I have found time to complete SOM activities challenging. Supporting midwives through developmental/ supervised programmes, with a successful outcome.

How have you demonstrated your leadership skills as a supervisor? I hope I lead by example. That I am professional, supportive and available for advice by both the women and their families and by my midwife colleagues. Supported Change in practice within unit Supporting good practice, whilst challenging poor practice. supporting change Supportive and work towards encouraging midwife to find the solutions to their problems/issues. through reminders withthe support of clinical risk By ensuring that I lead by example and by ensuring that all my supervisees are waware of their proffesional responsibilities and requirements. supported colleagues within the trust By supporting the midwives in the unit through busy periods. By helping to change ways of working to provide more support for staff Sharing lessons learned from incidents. Working clinically with staff when the unit is busy. Advising staff on best practice and challenging unsafe practice when I see it. Hopefully a visible supervisor, willing to challenge and support change I actively participate at our meeting as well as at most of the risk meetings. I'm part of the team of SOMs that regularly do a session at mandatory days. Offereing guidance Support Role model Encourager / motivator Unsure By supporting and facilitating home births against advise Challenging management decisions and being an advocate for midwives in a professional manner I believe I have demonstrated leadership by challenging poor practice and negative attitudes. I also believe providing direction into improving services with the resources available is vital. Being a role model for other midwives. Offering advice and encouragement to newly qualified midwives. Ensuring clinical area safe. Promoting supervision positively

How do you as a SoM promote women centered care ? In my daily contact with the women in my care I encourage dialogue that enables them to make informed choices and discuss their expectations about labour, delivery and the post natal period. promote and provide choices for women within the unit.e.g facilities and pathways review policies and procedures devising plan of care for women whose birth choices does not meet the trust guidelines. Also meeting the women following delivery to discuss their delivery and to ensure that their birth choices were achieved. Also been part of the trust guideline group Reminding midwives the focus of the midwifery role is to be with women although this is challenging faced with the changed culture which is steering midwives to work defensively instead of with the woman and her baby as the focal point of care. by being a role model through my own clinical acre By ecouraging women to take a role in the planning of their own care. By promoting midwifery care and home birth. By encouraging midwives to use their skills more in managing normal labour, to try to reduce the need for doctor involvment. assist colleagues where needed and practice individualised care Besides listening to women through complaints and supporting staff and patients through incidents/ adverse outcomes/ making choices, I don't do anything differently as a SOM than as a RM Always highlight the needs of the mother and baby as a priority when changes in practice or guidelines are planned. Ensuring staff are aware are the woman and her family are why we are here, they are our unique customers, who deserve the best individualised care in order to create optimum customer satisfaction. I na safe enviroment During annual reviews, when meeting with my HOM and in my day to day role as a clinical midwife Contact with midwives Teaching Encouraging and supporting midwives and women with thsie choice of birth units for place of birth I promote woman centred care within my daily practice Keep women and their families informed of all aspects of their care and ensure midwives are supported well Listening to the women. collecting feedback through questionnares. Complaints. Looking for trends. Promoting safe midwifery practice. offering women choices within their midwifery care

Please give any other comments you have about supervision in your unit I have no further comment at this time. within our local group we have a heart for supporting women and their families aiming to provide excellent facilities and choice as well as ensuring midwives attain and maintain competence and best practice and feel supported we work well as a local team Supervision within the unit has undergone a process of change, with increasing number of investigations. The supervisory team is becoming a more cohesive and supportive group, Challenging at moment since change in management structure. Midwives are feeling demoralised and fearful of the disciplinary punitive culture that has developed- very knee jerk reactions without finding out facts. we could perhaps "market" supervision much better although we now have a place on the intranet Supervision is stressed in this current climate, and often feels more punitive. i believe supervison has been through a tough period where colleagues questioned the support/role of supervision as we were often seen/referred to as 'policing' rather than supporting, but this thought is gradually changing back to a more postive look on supervision As a supervisory group we have been through a period of turmoil! But I believe we are coming through this and are working more cohesively as a group together Great SOM team some very proactive and positive SOM's. We have achieved alot in the last 12 months mainly due to the contact SOM having time and the support of the HOM with this. Succession planning and recruitment is key to ensure the future of optimum maternity services in a safe environment and midwife job satisfaction I feel that we could me more positive and a little less divisive with the midwifery teams Difficult to have a cohesive team of supervisors of midwives becasue of cross site work, lack of availability of supervisors of midwves at meetings. Also the increased number of investigations has increased the workload which means supervision is reactive rather than proactive. At present there is a feeling of being overwhelmed as we have had several supervisors step down/ leave and currently there are no ne and up and coming SOMs to replace them supervision within our unit is gradually become cohensive, and fair When I first joined the SOM team it was very 'cloak and dagger' but this was raised and we have all learnt from it I have no other comments As unit is very busy i dont think supervision is given the time that it requires to be positve and effective.

Please comment on what further assistance the LSA could provide for you When the time comes I know that I will have the confidence to access any advice that I need. 1 to continue with the support that they are currently providing Continue to be as supportive as always. continue None as suggested earlier to provide supervisors with adequate time to support supervisees and share what supervision is about - self promote, which in-turn may assist with the uptake of POSOMs Guidance on tackling poor attitude Encourage the Trust to support supervision by giving us time to be able to do it effectively I feel well support by fellow supervisors and the LSA I'm happy the the current level of support although I hope that they could continue to facilitate away days for SOMS 1:1 meeting To continue to provide the support and advise lsa very supportive nil at present No further assistance Continue with LSA study events. Be easily accessible.