Doulas Delight at Parliamentary Award

Goodwin Volunteer Doula Project and Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust and have been honoured with an award at the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Maternity (APPGM) summer reception. The awards acknowledged several maternity units' inspiring work in improving local maternity services.

Based on four key themes, the Goodwin Volunteer Doula Project and Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust received their award for developing inclusive services for disadvantaged groups and communities.

Heather Barnes, Project Manager for The Goodwin Volunteer Doula Project said 'The day was a great celebration for the volunteers and staff who have been involved in the development of this innovative project across Hull. The award recognizes the effort put in by all the volunteer doulas over the past three years, as well as the great team work across the city by all agencies, ensuring isolated pregnant women get the support they need throughout their pregnancy and birth'

Health Minister Ann Keen MP and Emily Thornberry MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Maternity (APPGM), presented the awards at the Atrium Restaurant, Millbank on Monday.

The APPGM, which is serviced by the NCT charity, highlights maternity issues within Parliament and brings together health professionals and service users with politicians. The reception was attended by nearly 200 politicians, leading health professionals and user representatives from the maternity services across the UK.

Emily Thornberry MP, Chair of the APPGM, said; "It is a great privilege to present these awards to such deserving and exemplary maternity units. All the entries were very impressive. The winning units are doing innovative work which will act as an inspiration to other Trusts." Mary Newburn, Head of Policy Research at the NCT charity said, "We are celebrating the success of these awards as excellent examples of the good work that happens in local Trusts. "

The Goodwin Volunteer Doula project, developed by Goodwin Development Trust, focuses on listening to the needs of local women from disadvantaged communities to ensure their needs are being met. This pioneering project recruits, trains and matches up volunteer Doulas with pregnant women who need support at what can be a lonely and difficult time. A Doula is a trained and experienced partner who accompanies a woman through pregnancy and childbirth and the first few weeks of family life. The volunteers are trained in child protection, domestic violence awareness, hospital tours, antenatal and postnatal roles, health and safety and breastfeeding.

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