Freedom of Information Request – Ref: 304-2024
Thank you for your recent Freedom of Information request. Please find our response below.
You asked:
1. Number of post-partum referrals to the Gloucestershire Birth Anxiety and Trauma Service (or its previous incarnation as the Maternal Mental Health Service) broken down by referral source (self or professional) and by month since Jan 2021.
Our response:
The Trust does not record or report the information requested in a way that would enable us to provide a response to this question as it was requested. However, the Trust has disclosed the information held.
Pease see the link below:
You asked:
2. Provide any analyses of the impact (specifically on increased demand and additional cost) on any and all services provided by Gloucestershire Health and Care Foundation Trust caused by Gloucestershire Maternity Service since Jan 2021.
Our response:
- The service was new in 2021 and although only took a few referrals while recruiting, after 6 months the service was actively seeking referrals.
- The increasing numbers could therefore be mistakenly interpreted to suggest an increase in demand but there is no baseline data to indicate the need prior to the service existing.
- Referrals to the service are for anxiety about birth and perinatal loss as well as for birth trauma. Trauma is very subjective and impacted by previous experiences and individual vulnerabilities.
- We see women who have delivered elsewhere e.g. Wiltshire, Bristol, Wales and Warwickshire and this is not differentiated in the referral data.
- It is not possible to establish a cause-and-effect link between care quality in Gloucestershire Maternity Services and Referrals to the services in Gloucestershire Health and Care Foundation Trust as no analysis has been done.
You asked:
3. Provide details of any discussions with the Glos ICB (or previously the CCG) or GHFT on additional demand and cost of delivery on any services provided by GHC, believed to be linked to the ‘inadequate’ CQC rating of Gloucestershire Maternity Service since Jan 2021.
Our response:
- We have not had conversations with the Integrated Care Board about any increase in demand due to the Care Quality Commission rating. Demand is manageable with current resources.
- We do, however, have clear feedback channels with the Maternity Voices Partnership and the Local Maternity and Neonatal System to allow for themes to be identified.
- Women are encouraged to feedback via PALS/the complaint process when indicated.
Next steps:
Should you have any queries in relation to our response, please do not hesitate to contact us. If you are unhappy with the response you have received in relation to your request and wish to ask us to review our response, you should write to:
Louise Moss
Head of Legal Services / Associate Director of Corporate Governance
c/o Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
Edward Jenner Court
1010 Pioneer Avenue
Gloucester Business Park
Brockworth, GL3 4AW
E-mail: louise.moss@ghc.nhs.uk
If you are not content with the outcome of any review, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for further advice/guidance. Generally, the ICO will not consider your case unless you have exhausted your enquiries with the Trust which should include considering the use of the Trust’s formal complaints procedure. The ICO can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.