Cross-Border Maternity Care Information

At Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (BTHFT) we are committed to providing safe, high-quality maternity care to all women, including those who receive part of their care at other hospitals.

This leaflet explains what cross-border care means, the risks and challenges it may bring and how we work with you to make sure you and your baby receive the best care possible.

What is cross-border maternity care?

Cross-border care is when your pregnancy care takes place in more than one hospital Trust. For example, you may have antenatal appointments in one hospital Trust but choose to give birth or receive postnatal care in another hospital Trust. We are happy to support you with this, but it is important to understand that differences in digital record systems and care pathways that  can affect the way information about you and your baby is shared.

To keep you and your baby safe, we strongly recommend that:

• where possible, your antenatal, labour and birth and postnatal care should be delivered within the same hospital Trust
• if you do receive cross-border care, please bring copies of all your results, scan reports, and your maternity notes to each appointment

What are the risks and challenges?

1. Digital healthcare systems don’t always link

• Healthcare systems in different hospital Trusts often use different electronic records
• Information such as blood test results, scan reports, and growth measurements may not always transfer automatically
• Sometimes information is shared on paper, which may not give a complete picture

2. Monitoring baby’s growth

Measuring your bump helps check your baby’s growth. Measurements are most useful when tracked over time by the same team. If care is split between hospital Trusts it may be harder to see growth trends accurately. This can impact on the decision to do or timing of tests to check your baby’s wellbeing.

3. Differences in care pathways

Different hospital Trusts may follow slightly different guidelines for scans, blood tests, and care in labour. This may lead to  different approaches to care.

4. Communication challenges

Test results and referrals may take longer to reach your care team if you attend different hospital Trusts. In urgent situations, this can sometimes delay decision-making.

How does this affect your care?

At BTHFT we will always:

• provide safe, respectful care for you and your baby
• record all your care in our hospital system
• communicate with your other healthcare providers where possible

What can you do to help?

• Always bring any paper records with you that you have been given to you
• Please ask for a copy of your baby’s growth chart so this can be shared between the hospital staff
• Let us know as soon as possible if you are moving your care to another hospital
• Share any concerns with your midwife or doctor straight away

Reassurance

Our priority, at BTHFT, is your safety and your baby’s wellbeing. While cross-border care can have some risks, with good communication and shared information we can work together to reduce this happening. If you have questions or worries about your care, please speak to your midwife or doctor.

Contact details

You can contact a midwife on our Maternity Assessment Unit 24 hours a day: Freephone 0300 3732402, 01274 364532 or 01274 364531.