Current Riots: Safely Attending Maternity Appointments
Support Me CIC is aware and concerned by the recent surge of racism and islamophobia in the UK, and how it has instilled fear into Muslim and migrant communities. Our priority is to help make sure families are continuing to access maternity care so here is some safety advice for families as well things to consider for hospitals.
For Families
It’s really important to that you attend all of your appointments and stay in communication with your midwives. Here are some tips on how you can travel safe and continue to access the care you need:
→ Avoid going alone and take someone with you if and when you can.
→ If someone is driving you, get dropped off directly outside the hospital or clinic you are attending. Stay indoors until you know they’re outside to collect you.
→ If you’re using public transport and/or walking, stay amongst the crowd and in public places.
→ If you travelling on the bus, stay near the front seats and amongst others. Avoid standing by the door, at the back or upstairs.
→ Tell someone where you are going and regularly check in with them.
→ If you find yourself in a situation where you’re scared, call the police immediately.
→ Your safety is priority! If you’re too scared to go out, let your community midwife know and ask for additional phone calls and/or home visits when appropriate.
For Hospitals, Clinics & HCPs
As you can imagine, there are many families living in fear, especially those who are being actively targeted. At this point, offering empathy and compassion is essential as reducing stress and making families feel should be your priority:
Use compassionate language – although this is something we continually suggest HCPs do, now is more important with families are living in fear. Be mindful they have been watching the news, listening to first hand accounts of abuse and may have also been personally impacted by racism. This is a time where many may also feel triggered by previous racist attacks they may have experienced.
Meet their needs – we would urge you to consider how you can make it easier for families to be seen, whether that’s more regular phone calls to check in, assistance with travel or moving appointments to their home or somewhere they feel more safe.
Offer reassurance – please reassure families that they are safe by telling them what additional measures you have put in place. Also, please reiterate any symptoms they need to be aware of to keep them and their babies safe by attending the hospital sooner rather than later. Finally, whenever you meet a family member, please empathise with their situation and remind them to call the police or ambulance when required.
Thank you, and stay safe!
