Team Sapphire Celebrate 235 Births in First Year

Team Sapphire, the Southern Health and Social Care Trust's midwifery service covering Newry and surrounding areas, has celebrated its first year of supporting mums and babies, marking 235 births since the service launched twelve months ago.

The team is the Trust's second Continuity of Midwifery Carer service and currently has another 140 women on its caseload across Newry, Bessbrook, Camlough, Mayobridge and Rathfriland. The model is delivered by a team of eight midwives and a maternity support worker, with each woman assigned a named midwife who supports her throughout pregnancy, labour, and the postnatal period.

A recent celebration event brought together families and midwives to reflect on the difference the service has made during its first year. Maria Garvey, CoMC Lead Midwife, explained the benefits of the approach, saying: "This model of care is all about ensuring a consistent and trusted relationship from booking to birth."

The figures speak for themselves, with 95 per cent of antenatal care provided by a named midwife, 85 per cent of births facilitated by the team and 100 per cent of postnatal care delivered by Team Sapphire. Garvey added: "Over the past year we have seen that CoMC not only improves safety and clinical outcomes but also provides mums with a more positive birth experience. The continuity means women are supported during labour and birth by someone they already know and trust, and if their named midwife cannot attend, another familiar member of the team will be there, thanks to our 'meet the team' approach."

Emma, mum to six-month-old Lena, was supported by Team Sapphire and praised the service. She said: "Having the same midwife made such a difference – I felt supported, reassured and confident throughout my pregnancy and birth and it was lovely to see a friendly face both antenatally and postnatally, especially at times when you as a new mum are at your most vulnerable."

Wendy Clarke, Head of Midwifery, paid tribute to the team's dedication, saying: "Every single member of Team Sapphire's enthusiasm, compassion and drive has contributed to its success and the many women and families who joined us at our celebration event were testament to the impact Team Sapphire has had in the Newry and Mourne area."

Michelle Harrison, Assistant Director of Integrated Maternity and Women's Health, highlighted that the Southern Trust remains the only service in Northern Ireland to have expanded to include two CoMC teams. She said: "The feedback from mums has been fantastic. They tell us that the continuity model enables them to build a strong relationship with their midwife, which has led to incredibly positive birth experiences." Harrison concluded: "Team Sapphire is a shining example of how we are bringing our Vision and Strategy 2030 to life, delivering safe, compassionate and person-centred care at the heart of our communities."