Over a quarter of North Central London’s (NCL) population is women of childbearing age (14–49). Around 20,000 babies were born in NCL between April 2021 and March 2022, although this is declining.
The foundations of lifelong health are built during pregnancy, birth and in the first year of a baby’s life. We want to make sure women, pregnant people, and babies receive the best care and outcomes possible from their interaction with maternity and neonatal services.
NCL ICB works to achieve this through all providers and the ICB working together as part of a system wide partnership, known as the Local Maternity and Neonatal System (LMNS) and a longer-term strategic change programme known as the Start Well programme.
Local Maternity and Neonatal System
NCL’s Local Maternity and Neonatal System (LMNS) is a partnership of people involved in maternity and neonatal services, who work together to improve services, make them safer, more equitable, personal and kinder for the people who use them.
Safer services
The LMNS oversees the quality and safety of maternity and newborn services and continuously works to strengthen them. This involves gathering and reviewing information from across the system, including feedback from women and birthing people, monitoring quality and safety trends over time, then supporting hospitals to make improvements.
More equitable, personal and kind services
The LMNS prioritises support for women, birthing people, babies and their families from communities that face the most significant health inequalities and works in partnership with them to transform services for the better of all.
Much of the system-wide transformation work that will take place in maternity and neonatal services in the coming years is highlighted in the LMNS’ Equity and Equality Action Plan, which plays an important role in delivering NCL ICB’s Population Health and Integrated Care Strategy and Delivery Plan.
Some areas of transformation include:
- Improving equity in maternal mental health: NCL ICB is one of nine NHS organisations around the country selected to take part in a Learning and Action Network. The LMNS is now working to rapidly test ideas for increasing the uptake of mental health services amongst Black women, including working in partnership with Black communities and debiasing processes.
- Personalised care for pregnant women and people with more complex health needs: Women and birthing people in NCL who have complex health needs are given personalised care by the maternal medicine network. It operates across all hospitals, bringing together experienced clinicians from different specialisms to design and deliver bespoke care. The team has been shortlisted for a Royal College of Midwives award in the ‘Partnership Working’ category.
- Strengthening digital services and data quality: The LMNS is agreeing a future target operating model for maternity and neonatal digital and data. This will help to make sure the right data is consistently collected across all sites, that the data collected is of a high quality, and that data flows are automated and captured at a system level.
LMNS leadership and contact
The LMNS is directed by a partnership of senior clinical leaders involved with maternity and neonatal services. To contact the LMNS, please email nclicb.ncl.maternity.nhs.net
Start Well programme
NCL’s Start Well programme is a long-term change programme to improve the care of pregnant women and people, babies, children and young people. A public consultation on proposed changes to maternity, neonatal, and children’s surgical services in North Central London closed on Sunday 17 March 2024. You can find out more about the Start Well programme here.
Maternity and neonatal services in North Central London
Women and birthing people can choose where to give birth. If they choose to have their baby in NCL, maternity and neonatal care is provided by:
- North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust
- Royal Free NHS Foundation Trust
- University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Whittington Health NHS Trust
There are also a wide range of community hubs that provide care, including community hospitals, health centres, GP practices, children’s centres and other community locations.
Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnerships
Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnerships (MNVPs) are NHS groups led by local women and birthing people. They listen to the experiences of people receiving maternity and neonatal care and share their feedback with services so they can make improvements. The MNVPs are always looking for new people to get involved – do get in touch if you want to provide feedback or find out more about their work.
There are four local MNVPs linked to the four Trusts in NCL.
- North Middlesex University Hospital MNVP
- University College London Hospital MNVP
- Whittington Hospital MNVP
- Royal Free Hospitals MNVP
Raising concerns or accessing support after care
If you have concerns about the NHS care you have received and would like an opportunity to discuss your experience, there is support available. Click here for an information leaflet that explains where you can access help or raise concerns about the care you received.