Last month colleagues from across maternity services and the wider Trust came together for a Work Together Get Results session focused on the introduction of the new Trust Health Inequalities Flag.

This important development supports the Trust’s ambition to embed the Inequalities Flag within clinical systems, everyday practice, performance processes, and operational decision‑making.

The flag is currently being piloted* within maternity services ahead of a wider Trust rollout. The session offered an opportunity for attendees to learn more about the purpose of the flag, explore how it can be applied effectively throughout the maternity journey, and consider the best ways to communicate its use with the broader clinical workforce.

Working collaboratively, the group identified practical approaches to ensure the flag supports personalised care, enables early identification of additional needs, and ultimately maximises benefits for patients. This shared thinking will help maternity teams deliver targeted, equity‑focused interventions and strengthen our commitment to reducing health inequalities across our services.

Consultant Midwife, Michelle Jones, said:" Our Maternity Assessment Centre (MAC) teams have already begun using the flag to support day‑to‑day practice. It has enabled midwives to quickly identify women who contact the service for advice but do not attend, prompting enhanced follow‑up and proactive outreach to understand barriers to attending the hospital."  

*No action is required at this time for any other service. There is no expectation to review, act on or discuss the flag with patients outside maternity. The data will help us understand what changes may be needed in the future, and further work will take place with other specialties as this develops.