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Types of Care

When you have your first appointment, known as a ‘booking assessment’, with your Midwife you will be allocated a Consultant Obstetrician who has overall responsibility for your care throughout pregnancy, labour and birth.

Follow the Antenatal Care Pathway here or carry on reading to get a overview of the range options available to you...

Shared Care between GP and Midwife

Suitable for healthy women

  • Antenatal care will occur mainly in community settings eg: GP Practices, Children’s Centre’s, Health Centre
  • Your antenatal appointments will follow the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) Antenatal Care Pathway
  • You will be seen by a Midwife and GP throughout your pregnancy
  • Women will only access a Consultant-led Obstetric Team if problems develop in pregnancy that require obstetric input
  • Choice of place of birth: Home, Malden Suite our Midwifery Led Unit, Labour Ward

Shared Care between Consultant, Midwife, GP

This option is for women with medical or obstetric complications

  • Antenatal care will be shared between the Obstetric Team in hospital, either Queen Mary's Hospital or Kingston Hospital and GP/Midwife in the community
  • Antenatal Care Pathway is individualised and extra appointments may be necessary
  • Choice of place of birth: if you have complications you are advised to have your baby on our Labour Ward, however, we are happy to discuss alternative options with you to help facilitate your wishes

Models of Midwifery Care

Along with the Lead Professional’s responsibility for your care are the various ways in which midwives provide this care.

Hospital

  • Ward-based teams, with a 6 monthly rotation throughout each clinical area
  • Hospital services covering Inpatient areas - both antenatal and postnatal, Antenatal Clinic , Day Assessment Unit, Labour Ward, Malden Suite, Obstetric Theatres
  • A small group of these midwives also work 1-2 days per week in the community

Community Service Model

  • One integrated Team
  • Geographically-based
  • Providing care to women throughout pregnancy, labour and birth
  • Working between community and hospital

Community Model

  • Provide antenatal and postnatal care in the community setting
  • Provide care for women wanting a homebirth
  • Split into 4 teams working in geographical patches, linked to GP Practices