Birthrate Plus® has been working in Northern Ireland across all 5 Trusts to complete a workforce review. The review was commissioned by the HSC Public Health Agency for Northern Ireland as part of ‘Delivering Care: A Framework for Nursing and Midwifery Workforce Planning’.
There are over 21,500 annual births in Northern Ireland, within 8 hospitals, 2 Free Standing Units and Home Birth services. The Birthrate Plus® methodology has been applied to calculate the staffing required for each clinical area including those services that are bespoke to maternity services in Northern Ireland. Carrying out a review at this scale will enable the PHA Northern Ireland to benchmark services not only for workforce but clinical outcomes and acuity.
Birthrate Plus® has also supported the Northern Ireland Maternity Expert Group on discussions regarding Specialists roles, leadership roles, and safe skill mix and to make recommendations on which core roles are required for maternity services.
Anna Dellaway, Birthrate Plus® Consultant