Late last year we introduced an Inequalities Flag across our Maternity services into our electronic patient record (EPR), and in March it was fully rolled out across all clinical systems in Maternity.

As we prepare to launch the flag across the whole of CHFT in the autumn, we’ve been hearing from one of our Maternity Assessment Centre (MAC) colleagues, Midwife, Lily Fielding, about the difference the flag has been making to her and how she believes it’s benefiting her patients.

Lily said: “In my role as a call handler in MAC, I've found the Inequalities Flag to be a really useful tool in my day-to-day practice.

“It prompts me to think a little more about each woman's individual circumstances, not just the reason for her call.

“It helps me consider whether she might benefit from extra reassurance, clearer communication, or additional support to access the care she needs.

“I see the flag as a prompt to have a more holistic approach to each interaction rather than making assumptions. It doesn't replace my clinical judgement or existing risk assessments, but it helps me recognise when a woman may need a more tailored approach.

“Knowing that this small prompt can help improve a woman's experience and ensure she receives the right support at the right time makes it a valuable addition to our practice.”

Project Manager for Health Inequalities, Claudia de'Vries, said: “The feedback we’ve had from wider Maternity colleagues strongly suggests the flag it helps identify barriers, increases awareness of vulnerability and strengthens safeguarding.”

We'll share more on the rollout of the Trust wide Inequalities Flag in the coming weeks.