1. Introductory blurb
Maternity Action and the Refugee Council are currently carrying out a joint study to investigate the effect of dispersal and relocation on pregnant asylum seeking women and new mothers. Our aim is to find out about the health impacts of dispersal and relocation of pregnant women and new mothers. We hope this will lead to improvements in policy and practice by maternity services and the UK Border Agency.
To collect our information we are carrying out telephone interviews with midwives who are or have been involved in the maternity care of asylum seeking women in dispersal areas to learn about their experiences of looking after women dispersed during pregnancy or shortly after giving birth.
• Have you ever looked after a woman who was dispersed during pregnancy (before or after dispersal)?
Yes/No (If Yes continue below. If No, ask whether she knows any midwives who have and if she can give us their contact details and stop the interview).
As a midwife, we would like you to tell us about any cases of any women you have looked after who were dispersed or relocated during pregnancy or very soon after delivery. The idea is to get an understanding of each woman’s pregnancy and how her care was affected by being dispersed during it, rather than any personal details about her. We will not use any information which could identify any woman whose case is discussed in the interview.
It may sometimes be helpful for the midwives to consult records to be sure that details are accurate.
We would like your permission to record the interview to make sure we have an accurate record of what you tell us. However, all the information you give us is strictly confidential. We will not reveal your name or the name of your service or the identity of any woman whose case you tell us about.
Are you happy for the interview to go ahead?
Are you happy for it to be recorded?
If yes, start recording; if not, ask if the midwife is happy for the interview to go ahead without being recorded.
2. Short personal details of interviewee
• Name
• Trust
• Job title
• Job band
• Length of time in this post
• Responsibilities
• Experience of working with asylum seekers
• Training about asylum
3. Details of cases of women dispersed or relocated during pregnancy the interviewee has cared for.
(Note to interviewer: For each case try to ascertain what her specific concerns were concerning each woman whose case history she is giving with a particular focus on the following issues. Midwives may not be able to answer all questions for each case. If a midwife has seen a large number of such women she should select significant cases as examples) Previous maternity care
• Had the woman been booked into a maternity service elsewhere before reaching this unit?
Yes/No (if no, go to the next section)
• To your knowledge did the previous maternity unit know about the woman’s impending dispersal?
• Did the previous maternity unit/ GP liaise with the maternity unit in your area?
• Did the dispersal maternity unit receive results of any tests carried out prior to dispersal?
• Did the dispersal maternity unit receive any letter with details of her pregnancy and (if relevant) of other medical conditions from her previous treating midwife or other clinician?
• Were sufficient details about the woman’s condition included in the woman’s handheld records for the unit in the dispersal area to take over her care smoothly?
• Any other comments about the woman’s previous maternity care?
Contacting the maternity service
• At what stage in her pregnancy did the woman first contact the maternity unit in your area?
• How did she make contact with this maternity service (e.g. via GP or housing provider or previous maternity unit etc.)
• How long after dispersal was she seen?
Dealing with the woman’s needs in pregnancy
• Did the woman have any additional medical/ social/ mental health needs? Include any experience of trauma either before or after arrival that affected her experience of pregnancy or any safeguarding children issues? Please specify.
• Do you know if the woman had made any requests concerning dispersal e.g. to be dispersed elsewhere, or not to be dispersed?
• Any other issues about this pregnancy.
Pregnancy experience and outcomes
• Outline any problems for the woman or relating to her care that in your view arose because of the dispersal or how it was managed
e.g. (prompt)
• Timing of dispersal
• Fact of dispersal (e.g. woman’s reluctance to be dispersed at all or to this area)
• Lack of availability of crucial medical information, including knowledge about the woman’s background that may have been known in her previous maternity unit
• Issues with communication between previous maternity unit, present maternity unit and UKBA
• Other
Woman’s personal circumstances
• Did the woman have any social or family support in the sending area not available in the dispersal area?
• Other relevant details not mentioned previously e.g. knowledge of English, family circumstances etc.
• Concluding points.
• What overall impact do you think dispersal might have had on the management of the woman’s care? Please specify.
• Do you think there are things that would have improved the transfer of care on dispersal? If so, what would have helped?