CEO & Founder of Aching Arms attends the Covid-19 Inquiry

21/10/2024

Aching Arms Founder and CEO, Leanne Turner, attended the Covid-19 Inquiry Hearing on Monday 7th October.

Leanne said, “I wanted to be in the room, alongside the other 12 Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting organisations to represent Aching Arms and the families we supported during the pandemic.”

“It was important to me hear firsthand the testimony of the witnesses and show my support for Jenny Ward, Chief Executive of The Lullaby Trust, who was representing our collective voice and Tamsin Mullen, the parent bravely sharing her family’s story.

Jenny Ward, stood as the oral witness to give evidence on behalf of the 13 Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting organisations (PBPOs). She highlighted the significant impact of the decisions made about the management and delivery of maternity services during the pandemic, and the devastating impact this had on pregnant women, new parents, and their families.

The evidence is clear that throughout the pandemic, maternity services – including early pregnancy, antenatal, neonatal, postnatal care and bereavement care were not prioritised during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The key themes that Jenny, on behalf of the 13 PBPOs, highlighted through the evidence included the fact that:

· Maternity services were overlooked in healthcare planning during the pandemic, leaving pregnant women and new parents, especially those facing complications, birth trauma, or loss, without adequate support.

· In these unique settings, partners should not have been categorised as visitors and subject to the strict rules they were. Partners, often fathers, are a fundamental part of this journey, including scans, during and after the birth and in the neonatal unit.

· Specific groups, including those with multiple pregnancies, neonatal admissions, or from ethnic minority backgrounds, had unique needs that were not considered and addressed adequately.

· Hospitals and healthcare providers struggled with unclear, frequently changing and delayed national guidance. This placed significant pressure on services and caused emotional distress for families.

· The traumatic experiences endured by pregnant women and new parents during this time continue to affect their mental health, with the long-term impact still uncertain.

· Post-natal services suffered immensely as Specialist Bereavement Midwives were not able to provide support in the manner they would have prior to the pandemic. This left families without anyone to support them.

· Charities filled the gaps left and supported families and professionals, providing vital services

If you would like to listen to the BBC podcast that captures the evidence given, you can do so here.

We understand that reading about and listening to experiences from the pandemic may bring up many complex emotions. If you require any support, please do reach out for support from our helpline team.

The Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting Organisations presented evidence collectively as part of Module 3 of the Inquiry, which is looking into the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on healthcare systems in the 4 nations of the UK.

The charities involved are Aching Arms, Baby Lifeline, Bliss, The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust, Group B Strep Support, ICP Support, The Lullaby Trust, The Miscarriage Association, National Childbirth Trust, Pelvic Partnership, Pregnancy Sickness Support, Tommy’s and Twins Trust.

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