A York maternity support worker has been recognised for her dedicated attitude with a national award.
Sandie McEwan received the highly coveted Chief Midwifery Officer Award, which recognises the vital contribution of maternity support workers in England and their exceptional support of midwifery practice.
Kate Brintworth, The Chief Midwifery Officer for England said, “Sandie’s approachable and knowledgeable manner mean that women call her with concerns that she would deal with in a highly professional way, whether it was a few friendly words to reassure, or contacting the woman’s midwife or GP on her behalf. All this work Sandie performs quietly, without asking for thanks, has had a major positive impact on the smooth running of our community service.”
Speaking about the award, Petra Mullen, Community Team Leader, said: “Sandie works within an amazing team who all deserve a big shout out for the work they do. Sandie stepped up to the mark without complaint in March 2020. When Sandie’s daughter was asked to shield for medical reasons, she maintained that high level by calling women to ensure they were clear about their care pathways. The Hospital’s Community Team Leader said,
“Sandie supported me personally, sharing her knowledge of the processes and teams in community, smoothing my transition into the role.”
York’s breastfeeding clinics have seen an improvement in services this summer, making strides forward in improving patient experience, especially for infants born with tongue tie.
In 2023 the hospital introduced a new Maternity Support Worker and created an independent clinical room for breastfeeding— these changes worked together to improve patient experience, created extra appointments, and reduced waiting times.
One of the most experienced tongue tie practitioners in the region, Sara Harrison is now training other healthcare workers in the tongue tie division procedure and has started to qualify as a lactation consultant.
Julie Stones who is one of the already qulaified lactataion consultants said, “Sara is an asset and it’s exciting she has begun her training. This is significant progress towards my goal of ensuring most women referred to the clinic are seen by a consultant.”
You can support York SCBU by donating here. Pick up a copy of the December YLL Magazine to read our full six-page feature on the unit.
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