ICOM Project- Women with Additional Care Needs
Research type
Research Study
Full title
ICOM Project - Continuity of Midwifery Carer for Women with Additional Care Needs in Northern Ireland
IRAS ID
312396
Contact name
Jenny McNeill
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Queen's University Belfast
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 25 days
Research summary
The aim of this study is to evaluate the current provision of Continuity of Midwifery Carer (CoMC) in Northern Ireland, with an in-depth focus on women with additional care needs relevant to mental health conditions. The overall aim is to inform the future design and delivery of CoMC in Northern Ireland for women with additional care needs.
This study will consist of two phases to explore and evaluate the current provision of CoMC in Northern Ireland for women with additional care needs, with a focus on those with mental health conditions. A mixed methods study design has been developed with both quantitative and qualitative approaches.
Phase 1 will use quantitative methods to understand the characteristics of women who self-refer to a CoMC model and compare outcomes for women receiving CoMC vs standard care.
Phase 2 will use qualitative methods and focus on CoMC for women with mental health conditions.
Phase 2a
Will explore the experiences and perspectives of women with mental health conditions who received CoMC in NHSCT using 1-1 semi-structured interviews. For the purposes of this study, the term mental health conditions will include all mental health conditions. Women who have pre-existing, self-reported, diagnosed/current and/or history of any condition such as, anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), birth trauma and postpartum psychosis (NHS England, 2016).
Phase 2b
Will use focus group with midwives and 1-1 semi structures interviews with mental health care professionals to understand and analyse the barriers and facilitators of providing CoMC to women with mental health conditions from the perspective of service providers.The key themes identified from each phase will be compared and contrasted and the triangulation of data from multiple sources across the two phases will be incorporated in order to provide an overarching high-level analysis. This will consist of integrating all evidence and data collected from Phases 1 and 2 in order to evaluate the current provision of CoMC for women with additional care needs and mental health conditions, including examination of the theoretical underpinnings of CoMC for women with additional care needs and mental health conditions to inform the care of women with mental health conditions within a CoMC model.
REC name
West Midlands - South Birmingham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/WM/0258
Date of REC Opinion
10 Jan 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion