What steps is the Cabinet Minister taking to improve postpartum services in north Wales?
Welsh Government is working with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and all health boards in Wales to strengthen postpartum and wider perinatal services through the implementation of the Quality Statement for Maternity and Neonatal Services and the Perinatal Engagement Framework. These set clear expectations that women, babies and families receive safe, person-centred care throughout pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period, with women's voices actively informing service improvement.
In north Wales, improvements are being driven through national maternity and neonatal programmes, strengthened clinical governance arrangements and ongoing engagement with women and families. The Quality Statement requires health boards to provide equitable, evidence-based care across the perinatal pathway, including the postnatal period, and promotes continuity, multidisciplinary working, safety and family-centred care.
These improvements are supported by implementation of UK NICE Guideline NG194: Postnatal Care, which sets out the standard of care women and babies should receive during the first eight weeks after birth. The guideline emphasises personalised postnatal care plans, assessment of physical and mental health, breastfeeding and infant-feeding support, effective communication between services, identification of complications, and a GP postnatal review at 6 to 8 weeks following birth.
A key element of improvement is the introduction of the all-Wales Perinatal Engagement Framework, which requires health boards to listen to and act on feedback from women, parents and families, including those from under-represented groups. This approach aims to ensure that the lived experiences of women shape the design and delivery of maternity and postnatal services and support improvements in safety, quality and experience.
Together, these measures are intended to ensure that women in north Wales receive high-quality, evidence-based postpartum care that supports their physical recovery, mental wellbeing, infant feeding, and transition to community services while ensuring that families' experiences directly inform future service improvements.