Maternity Services in South West London, Epsom and the surrounding areas

1. Please can you tell us where you live?

2. Please can you tell us your age?

3. Have you previously used maternity services in the NHS?

4. If yes, did you give birth in an obstetric unit (with doctors), a midwife-led unit or at home? (please select all that apply)

5. Are you familiar with the concept of a standalone midwife-led unit?

6. A standalone midwife-led unit is managed by midwives in a community setting. It offers care to women with an uncomplicated pregnancy who have a low risk of developing complications during childbirth. Midwives take sole responsibility for care and there are no doctors on site. All standalone midwife-led units are linked with a hospital so that if any problems do arise, women are transferred, usually by ambulance, to an obstetric unit in a nearby hospital to give birth supported by doctors.

In South West London and Surrey Downs, as part of a review of healthcare services, we are considering providing a standalone midwife-led unit. There has been no decision as to where this would be located but are interested to hear the views of local mums on the concept of such a unit.

Would you be interested in using a standalone midwifery unit for your maternity care and birth?

7. If this standalone midwife-led unit were to be located at one of the following hospital sites*, and if your midwife or doctor decided during your antenatal care that you were low-risk, how likely would you be to use it? (1 = not at all, 5 = very likely)

*St Georges is not included in this list as under all of the proposals being considered by BSBV, St Georges will continue to provide a full range of maternity services.

8. Do you have any additional comments on this subject that you would like us to consider?