Having a Baby in Cardiff and The Vale of Glamorgan

In Summer 2024, Llais’ regional team spoke with many people who had experience of having a baby in Cardiff and the Vale, and how they feel the Health Board could improve services. 

There were consistent themes in the experiences of pregnant women and birthing people, new mothers, and their care providers: 

• Issues with communication and information sharing, which could potentially exclude some patients 

• A lack of continuity of care negatively impacting on the birthing experience. 

• Access to care sometimes being challenging, with long waits for appointments and some patients feeling rushed 

• The importance of empathy and emotional support from care providers, to ensure a positive experience 

• The lack of private rooms, outdated facilities, and difficulties with the basics, such as parking, were common concerns. These often contributed to stress and discomfort 

• The need for additional support in post-natal care. This would help avoid the need for extended hospital stays, or help people manage their own care at home. 

 Llais shared this feedback with Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, and asked them to look at: 

• Continuity of care with community midwives 

• Better information for those whose first language is not English  

• Information provided in a way that is more inclusive, particularly for diverse families  

• Rolling out Black Asian and Minority Ethnic community ante-natal clinics across the region 

• Monitoring of pain control in post-natal care  

• Better and clearer information in post-natal care 

• Giving women, birthing people and families enough time to ask questions