1. The A-EQUIP Model and the Professional Midwifery Advocate (PMA)
Yeovil District Hospital and Musgrove Park, Taunton
HoMs Helen Williams and Debra Young

2. A-Equip Advocating for Education and Quality Improvement
Continuous process which builds personal and professional resilience
Enhances care for mothers and babies
Prepares for appraisal and revalidation
Employer led model
Action to improve quality and experience of care becomes integrated throughout all areas

3. Why Us? Supported and encouraged by LSAMO
Strong commitment to statutory supervision and vested interest in ensuring successful transition to future model
Keen to build strong links across Somerset
Pilot site offered further opportunity to build on partnership working and bring our teams together
Strong and effective teams of SoMs

4. The New Model
The A-Equip model has 3 distinct elements which interrelate with each other.
Each can be accessed separately but it is anticipated that the PMA will move seamlessly between these
elements

5. Restorative Clinical Supervision
Focusing on the restorative/supportive function of supervision
Aiming to create space for thinking, feeling, reflecting and understanding
Processing the difficult emotions professionals are exposed to through a
supportive, confidential relationship rooted in the concepts of containment
and reciprocity so that the worker feels restored

6. Restorative Clinical Supervision has been shown to:
Significantly reduce stress
whilst maintaining compassion
Have a positive impact on the
immediate wellbeing of staff
Significantly reduce burnout
Staff feeling valued by
their employers
Improve working relationships and
team dynamics
Improve job satisfaction
Increase enjoyment
related to work
Help staff manage their work/life
balance more effectively
Improve staff retention

7. Personal Action for Quality Improvement
Recognising the complexity of healthcare systems and reliability of
healthcare provision
Aiming to equip professionals to be familiar with and contribute to
quality improvement methodology
Helping midwives become active participants in Trusts’ quality
improvement plans
Ensuring quality improvement becomes an intrinsic part of
everyone’s job

8. Education and Development
Focusing on the development of knowledge and skills through education
Informing appraisal, revalidation and the development of leadership qualities
Encouraging self reflection
Exploring self leadership
Examining individual interactions
Influencing change
Challenging own practice
Challenging the practice of others
Improving care
So the education and development aspect has a focus on the development of knowledge and skills through education, which informs appraisal, revalidation and leadership. It’s aim is to encourage self reflection, to influence change, to be able to challenge practice either your own or that of others, and to improve care

9. What’s Happened So Far ? Pilot ran from Nov ‘16 to March’17
Bridging Programme for existing SoMs by NHS England from Nov’16 to March ‘17
10 SoMs (YDH x 3 MPH x 7)
Unable to start rolling out to midwives until bridging programme complete
Signed off 8th Feb ‘ Evaluation 22nd Feb’17
Each SoM had cohort of 6 midwives
Newly qualified x 2 teams
Homebirth Team
Postnatal midwives
‘Hand picked’
Volunteers
Aim for each midwife to have a One-to-One and opportunity to have a group session
10 SoM’s – 3 from Yeovil and 7 from Musgrove have attended 3 study days which form the Bridging programme.

10. The Reality Letting go of Supervision
10 Soms trying to coordinate off duty
Strong commitment to make it work
Bid submitted by our HoMs not us
Meetings, bridging programme, WhatsApp, Social Media, Women’s voices, Midwives’ voices, Christmas, Negotiating equality across sites, Clinical and Educational commitments

11. The Reality Evaluating a model after less that a month!!
Timetabling midwives to participate
Lack of communication despite promises
Feeling isolated
Denied participation in the presentation of the evaluation

12. The Future Commitment to the model Every Friday is a PMA Day
Individual appointments in the morning, groups in the afternoon
Midwives will attend either a one-to-one or the group
Other half of day to be used for e-learning
Mixed YDH/MPH groups/venues/PMAs

13. Evaluation Developing a new culture Midwives’ opinions Themes
Governance
Appraisal
Value for money