Carlisle & Eden and West Cumbria MNVPs Update

I’m pleased to announce that Carlisle & Eden and West Cumbria MNVP’s were recently successful in attracting some additional funding for both our MNVPs the amount received was £13,490 per MNVP. This funding needs to be used before the end of March 2026. The funding will be released in two instalments, subject to demonstrating spend is taking place as projected.

The funding criteria for use of these funds is:

a)       Move the MNVP closer to meeting the November 2023 MNVP National Guidance (Northeast and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board do not currently commissioned MNVP’s in line with that guidance, which is now a requirement in the Maternity Improvement Incentive Scheme Year 7 Safety Action 7).

b)      Further Strengthening of neonatal engagement

c)       Amplifying the voices of women and families who experience the poorest outcomes, particularly those from underrepresented or seldom-heard groups

Thank you to everyone who supported the quick turnaround to get proposals discussed and bids put together. 

As a result of new funding, we have been able to develop the MNVP team and are fortunate to have some additional MNVP Vice Leads to lead different projects, these persons below are already active MNVP members supporting local improvement work, more of their time will be required to complete the bid work and therefore they will receive honorarium payments.

New: Cristina Bowman, Learning Disabilities MNVP Vice Lead, across both MNVP’s. In this role she will work to amplify the voices of those persons with Learning Disabilities who use Maternity & Neonatal Services

New: Greg Johnston, Bereavement MNVP Vice Lead, continuing Co-Chairing the NCIC Early Loss Bereavement Support Group, and covers North Cumbria in this role

New: Clare Cooper is the Engagement Outreach MNVP Vice Lead across both MNVP’s and will be reaching out to vulnerable minoritised groups including Gypsey Roma Travellers, and service users in deprived disadvantaged areas across North Cumbria but with a focus on Maryport and outlying areas, and Botcherby areas.

Continuing: Jenny Fye MNVP Vice lead, Jenny will continue to Chair West Cumbria MNVP meetings; lead perinatal 15 Step visits for both MNVP’s; undertake surveys and engagement

Continuing: Kateryna Sievodnieva MNVP Vice lead, Carlisle & Eden Outreach Engagement, Kateryna will continue to do engagement work at Botcherby Community Centre

In addition, I’m pleased to announce that we have used some of the funding to support projects with two third sector charities, Together We and Team Evie.  Working together supports the quality and sustainability of work to listen and improve services. Jo Hymers from Together We will lead a Bereavement Listening Project for the MNVP, and Greg Jonston in his Team Evie CEO role will be instrumental in supporting collaborative partnership development of Special Baby Groups, where MNVP can listen to Neonatal parents

Funds are being used as follows:

Bereavement & Loss Listening

• MNVP Bereavement Vice Lead, funded time to Co-Chair Early Loss Bereavement Group

• Together We Bereavement Listening project - This bid is funded across two MNVPs in North Cumbria. The project will seek to hear parents who have experienced loss at any gestation.  The project will focus on how experts by experience of loss, and stakeholders involved in supporting parents through loss both in acute and community can constructively identify what good compassionate care and system of care should look like.

Monitoring & Reporting: All gestation loss feedback from the listening project will inform the Early Loss Bereavement group. There is also potential to support second phase of Healthwatch Cumberland project looking at Dads mental health and loss. Progress will be reported by Greg and Jo, respectively, to MNVP meetings. MNVP Lead will share learning and progress with NCIC governance, and complete reports to LMNS for evidence project progress )

Neonatal Listening

• Tullie Special Baby Group – MNVP Listening, & room hire funds to continue this until March 2026

• Collaboratively Develop two new Special Baby Groups Workington & Maryport with NCIC neonatal staff and partners– some Team Evie project development time, room hire costs and MNVP Listening time

Monitoring & Reporting: This work will be coproduced and monitored by the NCIC Neonatal Listening Stakeholder Group, feedback will be reported to this group and to the MNVP, MNVP Lead will share learning and progress with NCIC governance, and complete reports to LMNS for evidence project progress.

Amplifying the Voices of those who may experience the poorest outcomes, particularly those from underrepresented or seldom-heard groups

• Learning Disabilities Vice Lead,  Cristina Bowman Putting Learning Disibilities fully on the MNVP Agenda. Strengthening the MNVP and increasing inclusion.  Supporting implementation of LD Diamond Standards locally. Supporting Experts by experience to share their voice. Potentially supporting Diamond standards for neonatal care. Work to identify MNVP engagement projects for LD in 2026/2027

• Carlisle & Eden Engagement Outreach Vice lead funded engagement time (Gypsey Roma Traveler.  Asylum Seeker/Deprived Communities with a focus on Botcherby & Harraby areas)

• West Cumbria Engagement Outreach Vice lead funded engagement time  (Gypsey Roma Traveler.  Asylum Seeker/Deprived Communities with a focus on Maryport & Outlying areas)

• Stronger Voices Safer Births Project co-design training with real local women, to amplify their lived experience, some funded MNVP Lead time to support this

• Vulnerable women listening outreach alongside Perinatal Wellbeing midwives, time for MNVP Lead to continue this listening in family hubs.

Monitoring & Reporting: The vulnerable listening work will feed into and inform the NCIC Vulnerabilities/ Equity & Equality group. Learning from Poverty proofing project will inform the outreach work and build on that; reporting will be to MNVP and MNVP Lead will share learning and progress with NCIC governance, and complete reports to LMNS for evidence project progress.

Supporting MNVP compliance with MNVP national guidance

• MNVP Lead involvement in MNVP Baseline Assessment Work led by LMNS, time funded

• MNVP Lead attendance at governance, project reporting and oversight, feedback escalations, some additional time funded to continue these functions until March 31^st 2026

If anyone wishes to see the full bid details and associated workplans please let me know.   

Everyone’s input coproducing these projects is warmly welcome (is needed!). If there is something you would particularly like to support or get involved with, please let Belinda or I know.

Sandra