New roles to boost maternity services - Manx Care

The island's only maternity unit is based at Noble's Hospital

The island's maternity services have been bolstered by the introduction of two support workers to work alongside midwives, Manx Care has said.

The new roles are designed to work as part of the wider maternity team in the care of women through pregnancy, labour and during the post natal period.

It follows criticism the services in a report by the Royal College of Midwives in September 2022, which said there were "serious holes" in midwife numbers and funding.

Manx Care said the new appointees would carry out some of the more basic care roles, enabling midwives to "concentrate on the tasks that can only be undertaken by themselves".

Jane Hardinge (left) and Laura Riding are the first two maternity support workers on the Isle of Man

The new roles would bridge the gap between midwives and maternity care assistants, with responsibilities including taking routine observations, administration, taking blood samples and helping to care for mothers.

In 2019, a Maternity Support Worker Framework was published by Health Education England, with the aim of professionalising the role in the UK.

Laura Riding, who worked on the Jane Crookall Maternity Unit for 18 months prior to taking on one of the new positions, said that work had inspired her to "want to provide a more hands on, patient-focused approach".

She said it was an "honour" to be part of a woman's journey, "whether it is taking their blood pressure, making them a cup of tea, holding their hand through a contraction, showing them how to change their first nappy or simply listening to their concerns".

And the island's maternity team will be celebrated in a special event on 22 May, when there will be the chance to find out more about services on the island over the past 100 years.

The event, which will also see the burying of a time capsule, is set to take place at Keyll Darree between 14:00 and 16:00 BST.