What we look for

Well-led

Shared direction and culture

• Does the maternity service have a dedicated vision and strategy, developed with stakeholders and staff which is focused on sustainability of services and aligned to local plans within the wider health economy?
• Describe how the maternity service leadership raise concerns, celebrate success and routinely report to the board?
• How do you demonstrate check and challenge of the service?

Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders

• How does the board maintain visibility in the clinical areas and use this visibility to feedback to board and sense-check against data presented at board?
• How does the board hear about staff vacancy rates, sickness rates, other leave impacting the team, for medical and all grades of midwifery staff?

Freedom to speak up

• What has the board been made aware of as a result of staff giving feedback or speaking up?
• How do you encourage staff to raise concerns and demonstrate actions taken as a result?

Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion

• Describe the board oversight of the culture of the maternity service.
• Are there any actions reflective of the findings of the trust staff survey results?
  • Including but not limited to protected characteristics and bullying and harassment?
• How reflective of the population is the workforce and what steps are being taken to address any shortfalls?

Governance, management and sustainability

• Describe how relevant information is escalated to the board from the trust quality and safety committee.
• How are the board made aware of the risk registers and maternity red flag responses, compliance with Maternity Incentive scheme and the audit programme?
• To what extend is maternity service included on the board assurance framework?
• How do leaders report maternity service staffing to the board (this includes the use of bank, agency and locums; planned versus actual for labour ward, postnatal, antenatal, antenatal clinical, triage, maternity assessment/maternity day unit and community staffing; specialist and supernumerary roles)?
• How do the maternity service safety and quality outcomes compare nationally?

Partnerships and communities

• How do senior leaders engage with relevant partners for maternity services?

Learning, improvement and innovation

• What recent improvements have there been to the service?
• How do you ensure that multiple opportunities are available for staff to learn?

The importance of people's experience

• Do you receive patient stories at board from those with direct experience of the maternity service?