Here in Northern Ireland change is happening. I Still need your help. Im appealing directly to the minister of health for Northern Ireland to change Miscarriage care for woman and their families. 

With COVID-19 still being at the forefront of all media and medical meetings ! Many medical issues are being swept under the mat or ignored completely. We need local Mps to be our voice.  The more voices and local Mps who can join us in campaigning for better miscarriage care the better! Please help by Sharing the petition wherever you can and continue to help gain signatures

If you could share this letter with your local MLA , bring this important topic to their attention it will lend far greater weight and put much greater pressure on the minister of health to take proper action  to improve miscarriage care across the country.

So please copy and paste this letter to your local MP adding in your own details as applicable! 

Dear Representative,

My name is BLANK and I am campaigning for better miscarriage care in Northern Ireland. As your
constituent I would be appreciative if you could forward my correspondence to the Health Minister
and ask some of the highlighted questions below.

There are several areas I think the Department of Health and Health Care Providers across NI need
to consider when reviewing services for pregnant women and women who have experienced
miscarriage or stillbirth. I have summarised what I feel are the most pressing issues to consider.
Thank you for taking the time to read and consider my points.

*The quality of information and ease of access of information across Northern Ireland is poor,
with the information provided varying greatly across Trusts.

The HSC Trust patient information leaflets on miscarriage are not good quality, and lack vital information. Could the Department not provide a central pathway for miscarriage information and support, ensuring Trust websites are linking the same information and support regardless of where you live in Northern Ireland?

 

Information leaflets provided by the Trust are only downloadable from the website, which can be a barrier for non-English speakers, and I have not been able to find ‘easy read’ or adapted versions for those with additional needs. 

Resources need to signpost to available NHS services, and services provided by the third sector,charities etc. For example, are bereavement midwifes available for all women who have experienced miscarriage, or are they only available in certain circumstances?

*Support resources need development. Are there plans to develop resources for partners and families of women who have experienced miscarriage? Miscarriage impacts the entire family
system including partners.

*Other areas of the UK, such as Liverpool NHS and Glasgow NHS have incredibly detailed and useful leaflets, outlining options, symptoms, self-care steps, medical concerns, and how to access help and advice. Could the NI NHS not develop their own support leaflets with these as
guidance?

*Resources need to be developed for women who are experiencing a miscarriage, with
immediate steps to follow, detailing what to expect, what self-care to engage in and when to
seek help. For example, women need to know what their baby may look like when they miscarry. 

*Women who have miscarried need access to emotional and mental health support, and women who are pregnant after a miscarriage should also be identified for this. � Trusts need to provide information on what to do if you’re experiencing symptoms such as
bleeding, what do you do, who do you contact locally, where do you go if the early pregnancy
unit is closed?

*Could Trusts provide bleeding charts for patients which show clots and tissue visuals? For those
without medical experience, “heavy bleeding” and “light bleeding” are ambiguous terms.
However, a visual chart makes it very clear, if you experience bleeding like this within a certain
time, seek medical help immediately. 

*It is vital that women who have experienced miscarriage have access to Mental Health support.
Does the Department have a streamlined pathway to services, such as follow-up assessments to
recognise early signs of mental health needs?

Particularly for those with additional needs, for example, vulnerable patients who have experienced previous mental health difficulties, trauma,lack of support, special needs carrying.

* Current advice, information and support and accessibility to this information is not adequate.

This needs reviewed and improved because it’s failing woman. We need support in place with proper information on how to access services.
I have outlined some further questions I have regarding the reshaping of services and would be very appreciative if you could consider these.

1. I understand the Health Minister has announced funding for a New Perinatal Mental Health Delivery Model, which will include new specialist perinatal Mental Health Services,
this is excellent news. However, can the Minister confirm if these services will be available for women who have experienced a loss earlier than 20 weeks into pregnancy?

2. Is the Department considering providing a central pathway for miscarriage information
and support, ensuring Trust websites are linking the same information and support
regardless of where you live in Northern Ireland?

3. As part of the review of perinatal services, will the DOH ensure proper assessment tools
for miscarriage and discharge checklists are developed? Given many women are asked
about their symptoms, unaware of the less common symptoms of miscarriage and many women experience difficulties as they were unaware of some unusual symptoms of
miscarriage.

4. Are the DOH considering National Bereavement Guidance implemented in England and areas of Scotland, to develop similar guidance for NI or encourage Trusts to adapt the existing National Bereavement Guidance for miscarriage?

5. The National Bereavement Care Pathway (NBCP) for Pregnancy and Baby Loss was
launched in 2017, has this been considered in NI to see if elements of learning and practice could be implemented?

6. It is vital that women who have experienced miscarriage are given access to Mental Health
Services. As part of the review of perinatal services, are the DOH considering streamlined
pathways for patients in this situation to access the help they need?

7. Some Hospitals in England allow private arrangements without an undertaker for patients who have lost a baby under 16 seeks, this can be a huge comfort for families to have the choice to bury their babies if they want. Is this something that could be implemented in NI?

Thank you again for your time, and I would be very grateful if you could consider my points.

Kind Regards,
FULL NAME
FULL POSTAL ADDRESS (Include postcode)
EMAIL ADDRESS

 

I've included the link to find your local MP below.