Maternity Consortium Resources

In 2021, the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Health and Wellbeing Alliance (HW Alliance) was established as a partnership between-voluntary sector representatives and the health and care system. As a key element of the Health and Wellbeing Programme, it provided a national platform for the voluntary sector to share its expertise and influence improvements in sevices for communities across England.


As part of the Alliance, Tommy’s and Sands co-led the Maternity Consortium, working alongside National Maternity Voices, the Pregnancy and Baby Charities Network, Five X More CIC, Muslim Women’s Network UK and LGBT Mummies. Together, the Consortium brought national and local voices together around a shared ambition: to reduce health inequalities for families throughout the pregnancy journey, from pre-conception through to the first year of a baby’s life.

Barriers to Accessing Maternity Care: Communications and Information

In 2021-22, the Maternity Consortium undertook a project to understand the experiences of women and birthing people in accessing maternity services and any barriers they may have faced in receiving …

Barriers to accessing maternity care: Mental health

In 2021-22, the Maternity Consortium undertook a project to understand the experiences of women and birthing people in accessing maternity services and any barriers they may have faces in receiving …

Barriers to accessing maternity care: Understanding me

In this video, parents and birthing people share powerful stories of maternity care, from feeling dismissed, unsupported, or left without interpreters, to being judged, coerced, or unable to build trust …

Inequity in neonatal care

Between April 2022 – March 2023, Bliss led a project on inequity in neonatal care which found that parents and caregivers are often not asked about things which are meaningful …
A person sitting indoors, leaning on a windowsill with one hand resting on their head, looking outside. The scene includes soft natural light, wooden panels, and hanging pinecones near the open window.

Insight report: Understanding lived experience of suicidality during the perinatal period

Tommy’s and Sands Maternity Consortium led a project to engage with women and birthing people who have self-harmed, had suicidal thoughts and/or attempted suicide during the perinatal period. The aim …
Not just an option: Interpreting as an essential component of safe maternity and neonatal care

Not just an option: Interpreting as an essential component of safe maternity and neonatal care

In this insight report, carried out by Sands and Tommy’s Maternity Consortium, we examine the systemic issues impacting access to language interpreting provision within maternity and neonatal care …

Perinatal mental health event: Birmingham & Solihull MMHS workshop

Experiences of Developing Culturally Competent Care in the Perinatal Journey: This workshop will present research into British Pakistani women’s healthcare experiences following perinatal loss and consider its recommendations for services …

Perinatal mental health event: Birth Companions workshop

Between April 2022 – March 2023, the Maternity Consortium worked with maternal mental health services (MMHS), specialist community perinatal mental health services (PMH), VCSE organisations, Maternity Voices Partnerships (MVPs), and service users …

Perinatal mental health event: Friends, Families and Travellers workshop

Between April 2022 – March 2023, the Maternity Consortium worked with maternal mental health services (MMHS), specialist community perinatal mental health services (PMH), VCSE organisations, Maternity Voices Partnerships (MVPs), and service users …

Perinatal mental health event: How belonging improves wellbeing

Between April 2022 – March 2023, the Maternity Consortium worked with maternal mental health services (MMHS), specialist community perinatal mental health services (PMH), VCSE organisations, Maternity Voices Partnerships (MVPs), and service users …
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