Project lead: Catrin Evans, Gemma Poole

UK maternity services are increasingly using digital technology as part of efforts to deliver safer and more personalised care. Our project wanted to tell the story of how women from minoritized and underserved communities in Nottingham were experiencing these changes. We talked to lots of women and developed a report and video to capture their voices. Women talked about their experiences in three ways: (1) getting connected, (2) staying connected and, (3) feeling connected. We found that women welcomed the use of new approaches and were savvy users of technology. However, they identified several areas where the technology could be improved and designed to be more inclusive. We are sharing these findings with stakeholders in the NHS. The project has been a lot of fun! We have all learnt new skills (like how to make a video). The project has forged new links between community organisations and the university. We hope to conduct more research together in future. In addition, some of the project team are partnering in a new initiative in Nottingham to create digital hubs and digital champions to support women accessing maternity care.