Application form to bid for funds for Maternity
Safety Training
Funding for 2016/17
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Call for applications to access maternity safety training fund for 2016/17
What is the maternity safety training fund?
In November 2015, the Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt MP, announced a new
national ambition to reduce the rate of stillbirths, neonatal and maternal deaths and
intrapartum brain injuries in babies in England by 20% by 2020 and 50% by 2030, to ensure
England is one of the safest places in the world to have a baby. The ambition is part of a
wider government aim to reduce all avoidable harm by 50% and save 6,000 lives by 2017. It
will form a key part of the work of the patient safety campaign, Sign up to Safety.
Better Births, Improving outcomes of maternity services in England (2016) highlights the
need for multi-professional working, breaking down barriers between midwives, obstetricians
and other health professionals to deliver world-class safe, personalised care for women and
their babies.
As part of the ambition to halve maternal and perinatal mortality and intrapartum brain
injuries, the Department of Health has identified a training fund for NHS maternity services to
be administered through Health Education England (HEE).
This is an opportunity for all maternity units in England to apply for funding in order to
implement a package of multidisciplinary training programmes for all staff involved in the
delivery of maternity care with the aim of ultimately improving maternity safety and achieving
the Government’s ambition for maternity. It provides an opportunity for organisations to take
stock of their current approach to maternity care safety improvement, to celebrate the
progress already achieved, and to build on this as part of a national focus.
The funding is intended to support maternity services in developing and maintaining high
standards of leadership, teamwork, communication, clinical skills and a culture of safety
whilst reducing maternal and fetal harm. The HEE Maternity Safety Training Catalogue
should be used to identify appropriate training. However, if a local or other national provider
offers quality-assured training that satisfies the principles in the Assessment Criteria, this
can be included in the bid and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
The closing date for applications is: 5pm on Friday 18th November 2016
1.
Background
Research has shown that “teams made up of professionals from different disciplines provide
better overall care”1. HEE funded 10 pilot sites in early 2016 to implement multi-disciplinary
training. The pilots have shown that adopting a multi-disciplinary approach to education and
training can ultimately have a beneficial impact on patient safety. Trusts commented that
multi-disciplinary human factors training led to different professions gaining a greater
understanding of each other’s roles, and gave greater confidence to ‘speak up’ regardless of
hierarchical level. Safety awareness and confidence in emergency situations also increased.
Building upon the learning from the initial pilot sites, HEE have produced an evidence-based,
quality assured catalogue of multi-disciplinary training packages that will support maternity
services to develop and maintain high standards of:
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https://www.nursingtimes.net/roles/nurse-educators/training-to-promote-multidisciplinary-working/5059056.article
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leadership
teamwork,
communication,
clinical skills; and a
culture of safety whilst reducing maternal and fetal harm.
Eligibility and Assessment Criteria
Eligibility Criteria
All maternity units within NHS Trusts and Foundation Trusts in England are eligible to apply
for the training fund.
All organisations will need to demonstrate that the Trust has already or will commit publicly
to the following:
a. Appoint obstetric and maternity safety champions with a direct link from frontline to
board level.
b. Use the Perinatal Mortality Review Tool to standardise perinatal mortality reviews
(once available).
c. Be reporting to the maternity services data set and other key data sets by 2018,
prioritising early submission where possible.
d. Be taking part in the National Maternity Quality Improvement programme (once
available).
e. Be making appropriate links with safety improvement programmes run by Sign up to
Safety and NHS Litigation Authority.
f. Be using the NHS Improvement atain resource pack to help teams avoid
unnecessary separation of mother and babies (once available).
g. Be implementing (at least 2 of the 4 elements of) the NHS England Saving Babies’
Lives Safer Care Bundle.
h. Develop a maternity safety improvement plan, approved at board level.
A tick-box assessment of how each Trust meets this criterion is included in the Application
Form.
Assessment Criteria
Applications will be assessed according to the criteria below, so please ensure you
take these principles into consideration when submitting your application.
1. Training must be delivered to a multi-disciplinary team of workers in the maternity
environment (and associated departments when training involves other specialties), with
a consideration of the inclusion of admin and support staff.
2. Applications should show a balance between training from each of the headings within
the Maternity Safety Training Catalogue, and between skills based training and human
factors.
3. Applications should also include the completion of the ‘Self-Assessment for Maternity
Safety Training Programme’ (Annex B), which should be updated on a regular basis.
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4. Where possible, the training should be delivered in-house and applications must
demonstrate value for money, delivering the widest impact on the greatest number of
staff.
5. Applications must show a plan for evaluation; the ability to assess what needs to be
improved and an agreed set of measurements at the outset to show progress and
impact. There should also be a commitment to filling and submitting the agreed HEE
evaluation at 6 and 12 months, with an appropriate evaluator identified from the
maternity team.
6. Applications should show a defined management structure of responsibility for delivery,
with a sign up of commitment from medical and non-medical service leads as well as the
Trust Chief Executive.
7. Employers should ensure there are mechanisms of support and supervision available to
participants including evidence of supervision/’buddying’/mentoring arrangements.
8. Proposals should justify proposed costs and should be well evidenced, with justification
of why particular training has been selected.
9. We will consider applications that show some aspect of innovative practice, ways of
working together and service delivery, including collaborative approaches with
Ambulance and Mental Health Trusts as well as independent local midwifery teams.
10. There should be a focus on improving quality, and an explanation of how the chosen
training will positively impact women’s care in the maternity unit.
3.
Available funding and the application process
Total available funding to Trusts is £8m, divided across the four HEE regions. Every Trust is
required to submit a bid, with a suggested minimum of £40,000. The upper amount that will
be awarded is £80,000, as the aim is to benefit the greatest possible number of staff in
Trusts and units across England.
Funding can be used to fund direct and indirect costs of training, including backfill,
incidentals and train the trainer costs. However, these must be set out clearly within your bid.
NHS organisations providing maternity services interested in applying for funding will be
required to complete the ‘Application form’ form at Annex A, outlining their proposal for
multi-disciplinary training and how it meets the eligibility requirements and assessment
criteria above.
How to apply:
1. We would only expect one application per NHS service provider. If there are multiple
maternity units within one Trust, then each can submit a separate bid.
2. Applications for funding must be made on the ‘Application Form at Annex A and
submitted to the appropriate HEE Regional Lead (contact details on page 9) by 5pm
on Friday 18th November 2016.
3. Before completing the Application Form, you should use the ‘Self-Assessment for
Maternity Safety Programme form’ (Annex B), to provide a detailed gap analysis of
training needs.
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4. You should use the HEE Maternity Safety Training Catalogue to identify appropriate
training. However, if a local or other national provider offers quality-assured training
that satisfies the principles in the Assessment Criteria, this can be included in the bid
and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Selection process
5. All proposals will be assessed by a panel made up of HEE Regional leads and the
HEE national team, the Department of Health, NHS England and NHS Improvement.
What happens if successful?
6. If your application is successful, an award letter will be sent to you, outlining the
terms and conditions of the funding.
7. A Memorandum of Understanding must be signed by the Chief Executive in the
organisation, agreeing to the terms of the funding.
8. Funding will be transferred through HEE regional teams.
9. All funding will need to be spent within the financial year 2016/17.
Reporting on progress
10. All successful applicants are expected to maintain records which clearly show how
the funding is used.
11. Up-to-date evaluation is required from the bid organisation in June 2017 and
December 2017. The evaluation form to be completed is included at Annex C.
Please direct any questions with regards to the application form or process to the maternity
programme: [email protected].
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Annex A
Application form
Name and contact details of the person(s) completing this form
Name:
Role:
Organisation:
Email:
Telephone Number:
£
Total amount your Trust is applying for
Eligibility Criteria
Please indicate your commitment to the Eligibility Criteria by ticking the appropriate box
Completed
a. Appointed obstetric and maternity safety
champions with a direct link from frontline to
board level
b. Be using the Perinatal Mortality Review Tool to
standardise perinatal mortality reviews (once
available)
c. Be reporting to the maternity services data set
and other key data sets
d. Commitment to take part in the National
Maternity Quality Improvement programme (once
available)
e. Commitment to make links with safety
improvement programme run by Sign up to
Safety and NHS Litigation Authority
f. Use of the resource pack to help teams avoid
unnecessary separation of mother and babies
(once available)
g. Implementing/plans to implement at least two
of the elements the NHS England Saving Babies’
Lives Safer Care Bundle
h. Development of a maternity safety
improvement plan, approved at board level
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Not completed yet but willing
to commit publically to do
Please complete the following sections:
1.
Issue to be addressed
Please briefly describe the training need to be met in your organisation and how this funded
training will address it? You need to demonstrate how you meet the assessment criteria set
out in section 2 above.
Specify the maternity unit/service where the training will be implemented. (300 word limit)
2.
Training to be commissioned, including a breakdown of the workforce who will
benefit from the training.
Please briefly describe the arrangements that will be made for the multi-disciplinary training
importantly:
• Name of training programme(s)
• Cost of proposed training
• Numbers to be trained
• Timeframe
• Professional make-up of proposed team (e.g. obstetricians, midwives, maternity
support workers etc.)
• How you plan to release staff to attend (300 word limit)
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3.
Evaluation
Please highlight the metrics and other measures you will use to assess the impact of training
on your maternity unit (for use within Evaluation Template – Annex C) which must be fed
back twice; once in June 2017 and again in December 2017. Employees should also be
given the chance to feedback on the training they receive, with this information included in
the evaluation documentation. (300 word limit)
4.
Any other information
Please give any other information that you feel would support your application. (250 word
limit)
There is a requirement to gain the commitment of your Head of Midwifery and/or Chief
Nurse/Medical Director within your organisation. If you are successful in your application, a
Memorandum of Understanding will be issued which will require the support and
signature of your Chief Executive.
Signature of Head of Midwifery/Chief
Nurse/Medical Director:
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Please submit your completed form via email to your HEE Regional Lead (contact
details below). Where there is more than one email address, please submit to both:
HEE Regional Leads
North
Frances Mead
Midlands and
East
Nancy Cooke
[email protected]
Jackie Brocklehurst [email protected]
London and
South East
Kathryn Jones
[email protected]
[email protected]
South
Jan Zietara
[email protected]
[email protected]
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Annex B
Self-Assessment for Maternity Safety Training Programme
Please return the completed form alongside your completed application document to your HEE Regional Lead (contact details on page 9).
Contact details for person filling
out the Maternity Self- Assessment
Tool
Name:
Role:
Organisation:
Email:
Telephone Number:
This self -assessment tool has been developed to provide a benchmark and support implementation of:
-
The national ambition to reduce the rate of stillbirths, neonatal and maternal deaths and intrapartum brain injuries in babies in England by 20%
by 2020 and 50% by 2030
The National Maternity Review- Better Births [https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/national-maternity-review-report.pdf]
Sign up to Safety; Spotlight on maternity: contributing to contributing to the Government’s national maternity ambition
[https://www.england.nhs.uk/signuptosafety/maternity/]
The self-assessment benchmarking tool for teams and the organisation can be used internally to:
- Baseline your current position against best practice criteria,
- Use in considering changes to improve practice
- Support developing a shared action plan across maternity services
- Review progress and re assess following implementation of your action plans to demonstrate continuous improvement.
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This maternity self-assessment is not prescriptive and can be adapted according to the local requirements:
 Using the levels described below, please indicate on the form the level that best reflects the current position with an X in the box,
considering how your maternity service falls in line with the statements.
 Examples to support your decision both objective and subjective should be provided.
 This self-assessment is not linear and you may move backwards and forwards through the levels over the next year along the
implementation journey.
 This self-assessment is to help understand where you are and what you need to do over the coming year to further improve services.
 An additional benefit of the self-assessment is to share good practice and learning on a wider scale.
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Guide to ratings - Where your maternity service is now – indications of current service provision
Level 0 – 0-25% progress
Level 1- 25-50% progress
Level 2- 50-75% progress
Level 3 – 75-100% progress
Not engaged with this area
of work- very little work to
date
More work needed
Making significant progress, but
more work needed
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Midwives, obstetricians, nurses and the wider
maternity workforce involve themselves in
maternity care across the whole pathway. From
increasing awareness, reducing social stigma and
lack of knowledge to ensure the best care for
people women and their babies. No further action
needed.
Lack of evidence of
understanding and/or
engagement at this
stage.
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Not able to implement
robust delivery, as
waiting for external
changes or agreements.
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Organisation/service reacts
effectively to address priorities
and risks.
Evidence of improvements in
processes in the system,
specific multi-disciplinary
training programmes and
initiatives in place to develop
the system and address issues,
but these tend to be fragmented
across the maternity service.

Clear bespoke Maternity Safety
Improvement Plan (approved at
board level) in place for developing
the system and a maternity multidisciplinary education and training
plan of support in place, but further
work is being undertaken to
coordinate strategically.
Regular assurance is being sought
and forward progress is being
made on safety improvement and
education/ training plans. Robust
processes in place demonstrating
tangible results. (plus level 1)
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
Fully embedded assurance systems and multidisciplinary education and training packages
implemented to support maternity services to
develop and maintain high standards of leadership,
teamwork, communication, clinical skills and a
culture of safety whilst reducing maternal and fetal
harm in conjunction with key partners.

Demonstrates improved outcomes that are regularly
evidenced; strategy and plans constantly evolving;
disseminates lessons learnt/best practice and
checks understanding and adoption.

Risks are not impacting on service delivery as they
are being pro-actively managed through the
Maternity Safety Improvement Plan. (plus level 1 &
2)
Level of Delivery Team/Practice/Ward/Care Setting/Area
Level of
compliance/
baseline
score
0 1 2 3
Comments
Please consider here progress to date, possible barriers to progress and elements
needed to overcome barriers
Building capability and skills for all maternity staff
STATEMENT A: Our maternity service embraces positive culture change, improving communication within and across teams by placing an
emphasis on multi-disciplinary team working and inter-professional team learning on patient safety; it does this by optimising the use of
safety and shift handover briefings
Safety briefings
- We have considered the use of safety
briefings and undertaken a review of
how shift handovers are undertaken,
considering different types of safety
briefing.
STATEMENT B: Our maternity service ensures that all maternity staff complete multi-disciplinary training, which ensures we have the right
staff, with the right skills and attributes in the right place
Multi-disciplinary training
We provide multi-disciplinary training to
all relevant staff: considered appropriate
for their role.
or
We have a plan in place for all staff to
receive training as considered
appropriate for their role.
Staff Supervision
We provide access to clinical supervision
for all Midwives and Nurses/care staff;
clinical maternity specialists/leads are
available to offer expert advice and
support to other staff.
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STATEMENT C: Our maternity service focusses on early detection of the risks associated with perinatal mental illness
Review of focus on Perinatal Mental
Health.
- We ensure that all staff that work in
maternity services are trained to
identify the risks and symptoms of
mild to severe perinatal mental illness.
- We have information available to
maternity staff to ensure they are
aware of local perinatal mental health
care pathways for women during
pregnancy and the postnatal, period
and know how to access assessment
and treatment.
- We ensure staff have supervision and
training – covering mental health
problems, assessment methods and
referral routes – to allow them to
follow the care pathways.
STATEMENT D: Our Maternity Service aims to increase the skills and knowledge of the maternity workforce with a focus on improving
outcomes
Developing a culture of compassionate
care.
We ensure that:
- Values and behaviours are understood
and embedded in practice by all staff.
There is evidence of education and
training in key evidence based aspects
of human factors.
- Staff satisfaction surveys and
representative group feedback are
acted upon.
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Annex C
Evaluation Form
This evaluation form should be completed both in June 2017 and December 2017. If your
initial self-assessment changes, you should also submit a copy with this alongside each
evaluation. This will help the national maternity programme team to evaluate your progress.
Please submit a copy to your HEE Regional Lead and also the HEE National Team at
[email protected].
Evaluation period ending (please circle)
June 2017
December 2017
Name and contact details of the person(s) completing this form
Name:
Role:
Organisation:
Email:
Telephone Number:
1.
Key Points
Please summarise the key points around the whole experience and process of participating in
the maternity safety training programme.
2.
Background, including challenges that need to be addressed by maternity
safety training.
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3.
Approach Taken
Please outline the approach taken to training in the table below:
Name of Training
Programme
4.
Cost of training
Numbers Trained
Professional Make-up
of trainees (Midwives,
Obstetricians etc.)
Outcome/Impact of Training
Outline the metrics you chose to identify progress and where you currently measure against
them. Also please provide some narrative on the soft impact (e.g. anecdotal evidence of
improvement on staff morale etc.) of implementing the maternity safety training.
5.
Recommendations going forward
What are the next steps at your organisation?
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6.
Any other information
Use this section to highlight any information you have not covered in other sections of the
evaluation.
Thank you for completing this form.
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