Winner – HSJ Awards 2020: Maternity and Midwifery Services Initiative of the Year: Birmingham Symptom-specific Obstetric Triage System and the SPACE (Safer Provision and Caring Excellence) Programme

Birmingham Symptom-specific Obstetric Triage System and the SPACE (Safer Provision and Caring Excellence) Programme has been awarded the Maternity and Midwifery Services Initiative of the Year at the HSJ Patient Safety Awards, recognising their outstanding contribution to healthcare.

Thanks to the collaborative efforts between Health Innovation West Midlands (HIWM) the NIHR ARC WM and Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, The Birmingham Symptom-specific Obstetric Triage System (BSOTS) was shortlisted for both the Maternity and Midwifery Services Initiative of the Year and Patient Safety Initiative of the Year.

Currently there is no standardised process for assessing women when they attend maternity services with unexpected clinical concerns. BSOTS is a maternity triage system developed by clinicians and researchers from Birmingham Women’s Hospital (Dr Nina Johns) and the University of Birmingham (Professor Sara Kenyon).

The process consists of a prompt and brief assessment (triage) of the women on presentation, followed by a standardised set of guidance developed to help midwives and clinicians determine the clinical urgency in which women need to be seen. The guidance appears to have improved the safety of mothers and babies, as well as the management of the maternity departments providing the care. The standardised assessment and excellent staff understanding, and interpretation means that variation in the clinical urgency of women between midwives is minimal. The shared language between health care professionals supports clear communication. It has been adopted by 21 UK NHS Trusts so far, with another 30 trained and in the process of implementation.

Despite tough competition from hundreds of applicants, the BSOTS team were selected based on their ambition, visionary spirit and the demonstrable positive impact and staff experience.

The judging panel was made up of a diverse range of highly influential and respected figures within the healthcare community including Rachel Power (Chief Executive, The Patients Association), Jean Knight (Chief Operating Officer, Northamptonshire Healthcare FT) and Vincent Badu (Deputy Chief Executive, Kent & Medway Partnership Trust.

Sara Kenyon, Professor of Evidence Based Maternity Care and leading the current ARC Maternity Theme comments,

“We are delighted to have been awarded the Maternity and Midwifery Services Initiative of the Year, recognising the collaborative efforts and dedication of the BSOTS team and the staff members in the sites who have successfully implemented this maternity triage system. We are committed to delivering improved outcomes for our women and their families, and to be chosen among the other incredible nominees is a wonderful achievement.”

The full list of winners for the 2020 HSJ Patient Safety Awards can be found here.