The Acuity App assesses real time staffing based on the clinical needs of women and babies for intrapartum and ward areas. This enables service leaders to determine whether their unit is adequately and safely staffed throughout the day and night.
Intrapartum Acuity App
Using the Birthrate Plus® classification system the tool provides an assessment of women’s needs during their episode of care in the delivery suite and/or co-located birth centre, recorded in realtime on a 4 hourly basis and is being used to enable managers to ensure safety for women and babies during this period.
Ward Acuity App
The updated ward acuity tool is completed 6 hourly and calculates the care hours required in the next 6-hour period. In the updated tool, babies are assigned a separate category using a care needs matrix, whilst the care needs of the birthing person are determined using either an antenatal or postnatal care matrix. The tool was revised using an Expert Group methodology with contributions from and testing by several maternity units in the Midlands region, including a large tertiary level unit as well as smaller units. The qualitative data entry and summaries will be released in the New Year.
What to do if you lose internet access
Download the downtime documents:
Complete and then send electronic copies of the completed sheets to enquiries@birthrateplus.co.uk
Should I include the Coordinator when adding the number of midwives in the intrapartum app
The methodology both in the tool and the workforce assessment takes account of the coordinator, and they should be included – whilst they are supernumerary they do undertake some clinical care such as fresh eyes, medication checks, supporting in some births etc.
Please see this support guide for more info.
Birthrate Plus* provides two products to support Safer Staffing in Midwifery services
Workforce Planning & Realtime Staffing (Acuity App)
