The use of digital methods in the NHS is both increasing and expected. Maternity care is no exception and there may be many benefits to increasing access digitally to support care for diverse populations to improve disparities. Waheeda Abbas, Cultural Liaison Midwife for Bolton Foundation Trust, shares how a Multilingual Maternity Padlet is being used to enhance midwifery care.
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The use of digital platforms such as Padlet in healthcare settings are becoming increasingly prevalent as organisations seek to enhance communication, information sharing, and collaboration among healthcare professionals and service users. Padlet is an interactive online tool that allows users to post notes, documents, and multimedia content on a shared digital wall. It facilitates real-time updates and easy access to information.
The use of digital tools, including Padlet in the NHS, supports the goal of improving healthcare delivery through technology. Research shows that digital platforms can enhance team collaboration, streamline information dissemination, and support decision-making processes in clinical settings (NHS Digital, 2020). These tools have the potential to improve staff engagement, reduce information silos, and ultimately contribute to better patient care outcomes (Topol, 2019).
Within Maternity Services, Padlet can be a central hub for sharing guidelines, policies, educational resources, and communication updates. This ensures that all team members have access to consistent and accurate information, thereby improving patient safety by ensuring that all healthcare providers are informed about the latest protocols and guidelines (Institute for Healthcare Improvement, 2020).
Healthcare professionals are increasingly using Padlet as a tool to educate and support maternity patients. By providing easy access to educational materials, video tutorials, and interactive content, Padlet empowers patients to make informed choices about their care. Research supports using digital tools for patient education, indicating that they can significantly enhance understanding and engagement in care decisions (Morrison & Mair, 2018).
A multilingual Padlet breaks down language barriers, allowing non-native speakers or those with limited proficiency in the primary language of the region to access critical maternity information. This is especially important in communities with diverse linguistic needs, as it ensures that communication barriers are reduced. By facilitating informed decision-making, Padlet can contribute to improved care outcomes, as patients are better equipped to participate actively in their healthcare (McCaffery et al., 2019).
The Maternity Multilingual Padlet’s content demonstrates respect for cultural diversity, which helps build trust between midwifery workforce and families. Tailored content not only addresses linguistic needs but also incorporates culturally appropriate practices and advice. This approach can reduce anxiety and improve engagement with healthcare resources. The Padlet includes resources on a wide range of topics, such as prenatal care, birthing practices, nutrition during pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and grief counselling for those experiencing loss. Consolidating these materials into a single, easily accessible platform simplifies the information-gathering process for families. Families can access the Padlet at any time and from anywhere with an internet connection. This flexibility is invaluable for working parents or those with mobility challenges. It also allows users to review information as often as needed, ensuring better understanding.
Padlet can also be adapted to support diverse populations, including women who do not speak English, rely on British Sign Language (BSL), or have learning needs. The platform allows for the inclusion of multimedia content such as videos and images, which can be used to convey information in multiple languages or through visual aids. Resources can be created in collaboration with language translation services and BSL interpreters to ensure accessibility. Additionally, Padlet can incorporate text-to-speech features and simplified content to accommodate those with learning difficulties (Health Education England, 2018).
New languages, resources, or topics can be easily added to the Padlet to keep it relevant and comprehensive. The Padlet that we have created has been customised to cater to specific community needs, this is inclusive of guidance on financial support to help to support families who may need support with house and financial support. Unlike printed materials, a digital Padlet is cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and easy to update. It eliminates the need for reprinting materials whenever new information becomes available.
Not all families have reliable internet access, smartphones, or computers, limiting the reach of the Padlet. Additionally, some users may lack digital literacy, which could make accessing and using the Padlet difficult. Therefore, printed materials or in-person support as a backup can help mitigate this issue.
The Padlet we have created has been actively maintained to ensure the information is current and culturally relevant. This includes updating the Padlet on a regular basis to reflect new healthcare guidelines, changes in local policies, and emerging best practices.
Dependence on Technology:
Technical issues, such as website downtime, broken links, or compatibility problems with certain devices, can disrupt access to the Padlet. Ensuring robust technical support and a backup plan is essential.
While the Padlet provides valuable information, it does not allow for immediate, personalised interaction with healthcare providers. Families with urgent or specific questions might find it less effective than live consultations or community group meetings. Even though the Padlet is user-friendly, first-time users may need some guidance to navigate it effectively. Healthcare providers or community workers may need to introduce families to the platform and demonstrate its features.
Obtaining regular feedback from users to improve the Padlet’s content, organisation, and functionality, and feedback from communities help to identify gaps or challenges. The maternity workforce have adopted the maternity multilingual Padlet, and at the initial booking visit the midwife will give the service user a QR code or a link for access and introduce families to its use, ensuring they know how to use it effectively.
Meeting Policies
Use of the Padlet supports some of the policy expectations. For example, the Padlet supports the vision of personalised care and continuity of care, as outlined in the “Better Births” report, by facilitating seamless communication and information sharing among maternity care teams (NHS, 2016). It is designed for healthcare professionals to facilitate communication with women, birthing people, and their families to aid information decision-making. It is not intended to replace face-to-face discussions with healthcare professionals or the use of interpretation services where these are required.
Using the Padlet also aligns with the Ockenden Review’s emphasis on safety and transparency in maternity services by ensuring that evidence-based information is communicated to staff and service users (Ockenden, 2022). Further, digital tools such as the Padlet are integral to the Single Delivery Plan’s focus on digital transformation and integration across services (NHS England and NHS Improvement, 2021).
The padlet can promote inclusivity and equity by providing diverse and accessible resources, supporting the aims of the NHS Equity and Diversity Strategy to cater to all patient needs (NHS England, 2021).
Managing content
Topic Experts / Content Managers are responsible for developing information within their assigned specialisation to be used on the Padlet. They ensure that the information is accurate, up-to-date, and evidence-based. They are responsible for updating and maintaining the accuracy of the information within their assigned sections. Topic experts are expected to collaborate with service users to ensure that the information is co-created to meet their needs. Prior to uploading to Padlet, any unpublished or non-peer-reviewed material developed by the team will be subject to the review process outlined below. Peer-reviewed documents, including NHS leaflets and RCOG / NHSE literature, are excluded from this process. All content must comply with NHS data protection and confidentiality policies. Prior to new information being uploaded to Padlet, topic contents are agreed upon via the Maternity Governance process. Content is peer-reviewed at the local Guideline Review Group and amended as indicated.
To address digital exclusion, equitable access to digital resources is essential. This includes providing necessary training for staff and patients to use digital tools effectively, ensuring the availability of devices and internet access in healthcare settings, and offering alternative formats for those who cannot access digital platforms. Partnerships with community organisations can help identify and support individuals at risk of digital exclusion (NHS Digital Inclusion Guide, 2019).
Maternity Multilingual Padlet Link
https://padlet.com/BoltonFT/multilingual-maternity-resource-jh31v6y66052viby
References
Health Education England, (2018) Making every contact count: Improving the health and wellbeing of the population https://www.makingeverycontactcount.co.uk/
Institute for Healthcare Improvement (2020) Patient safety essentials toolkit. http://www.ihi.org/resources/Pages/Tools/Patient-Safety-Essentials-Toolkit.aspx
McCaffery, K., et al., (2019) Shared decision-making in healthcare: Achieving evidence- based patient choice. BMJ, 359(j4891), pp.1-5.
Morrison, C; Mair, F.S., (2018) Telehealth in practice: using normalisation process theory to bridge the translational gap. Primary Health Care Research & Development, 19(4), pp.366-376.
NHS, (2016) National Maternity Review: Better Births, Improving outcomes of maternity services in England. https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/national-maternity-review-report.pdf
NHS Digital, (2020) Digital inclusion guide for health and social care. https://digital.nhs.uk/about-nhs-digital/our-work/digital-inclusion
NHS England and NHS Improvement, (2021) The single delivery plan for maternity and neonatal services. https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/single-delivery-plan/
NHS England, (2021) Advancing mental health equalities strategy. https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/advancing-mental-health-equalities-strategy/
NHS England (2023) Three-year delivery plan for the maternity and neonatal services. https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/three-year-delivery-plan-for-maternity-and-neonatal-services/
Ockenden, D., (2020) Emerging findings and recommendations from the independent review of maternity services at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ockenden-maternity-review-summary-of-findings-and-urgent-actions
Ockenden, D. (2022) Findings and recommendations from the independent review of maternity services at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust. https://www.ockendenmaternityreview.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/FINAL_INDEPENDENT_MATERNITY_REVIEW_OF_MATERNITY_SERVICES_REPORT.pdf
Topol, E (2019) The Topol Review: Preparing the healthcare workforce to deliver the digital future https://topol.hee.nhs.uk/
Waheeda Abbas,
Cultural Liaison Midwife, Bolton Foundation Trust
Princess Anne Maternity Unit
December 2024