Human Factors in Maternity Services
Empowering teams. Designing safer systems. Responding to Ockenden. Specialist training that helps maternity units bridge the gap between clinical competence and operational safety — fostering a culture where every voice is heard and safety is designed into the environment.
Designing Safer Maternity Systems
This specialist programme examines the unique Human Factors challenges in maternity services. It equips multi-disciplinary teams with the cognitive and interpersonal skills needed to enhance clinical performance, foster psychological safety, and build systems where every team member feels empowered to speak up when it matters most.
Key Learning Objectives
- Develop cognitive and interpersonal skills for team-based maternity care
- Enhance clinical performance through effective communication during obstetric emergencies
- Foster psychological safety and empower all staff to speak up and challenge
- Manage situational awareness and workload during high-acuity births
- Apply systems-based approaches to incident investigation, avoiding blame
- Implement proactive safety frameworks aligned with the Ockenden Review
Who Should Attend
Designed for multi-disciplinary maternity teams who want to improve safety culture, communication, and teamwork across their unit. This course brings together professionals from all levels to learn collaboratively.
Six Core Modules for Safer Maternity Care
Each module combines evidence-based theory with practical exercises, real-world maternity case studies, and interactive group work designed for multi-disciplinary teams.
Human Error in Maternity Settings
Explore the science behind human error in obstetric care — slips, lapses, mistakes, and violations — and why skilled professionals make preventable errors in high-acuity maternity environments.
Communication in Obstetric Emergencies
Develop structured communication techniques including SBAR, closed-loop communication, and assertive escalation protocols for time-critical obstetric situations such as postpartum haemorrhage and emergency caesarean section.
Situational Awareness & Workload
Learn to maintain clear mental models and manage high cognitive workload during complex births. Understand how task saturation, distractions, and fatigue degrade performance on the labour ward.
Psychological Safety & Speaking Up
Foster an environment where midwives and junior staff feel confident challenging senior clinicians during emergencies. Address hierarchy gradients and develop assertive communication skills that save lives.
Systems-Based Safety
Examine the three critical dimensions that shape maternity safety: The Job (tasks, workload, environment), The Individual (competence, fatigue, risk perception), and The Organisation (staffing, leadership, communication).
Building a Just & Learning Culture
Move beyond blame-based investigation toward systems-based incident analysis. Apply Safety I and Safety II frameworks to build a learning culture that responds to the recommendations of the Ockenden Review.
Three Dimensions of Maternity Safety
Our approach examines three interconnected dimensions that shape safety outcomes on the labour ward. Understanding all three is essential for lasting cultural change.
The Job
Tasks, workload, environment, equipment ergonomics, procedures, and the design of the physical workspace on the labour ward.
The Individual
Competence, skills, personality, attitudes, fatigue levels, risk perception, and the cognitive factors that affect clinical decision-making.
The Organisation
Work patterns, staffing levels, leadership culture, communication structures, and how organisational systems shape individual behaviour.
“This training helped us build a culture where junior staff feel confident challenging senior consultants during emergencies. It has transformed our unit.”
Maternity Safety Lead — NHS Trust
Choose How You Learn
We offer multiple delivery formats to suit your maternity unit’s schedule, staffing, and training requirements. In-house bespoke delivery is our most popular option.
In-House Bespoke
We come to your maternity unit and tailor the programme to your specific clinical context, culture, and team dynamics.
Open Courses
Attend a scheduled session at our UK training centre in Cheshire for a fully immersive, in-person learning experience.
Live Online Sessions
Join interactive virtual sessions with expert facilitators, perfect for distributed maternity teams across multiple sites.
E-Learning Foundation
Self-paced online modules ideal for induction, refresher training, or building foundational knowledge before attending a live course.
Aligned with National Maternity Safety Standards
From Enquiry to Measurable Impact
Consultation
We assess your maternity unit's specific challenges, culture, staffing, and safety goals.
Customisation
Training is tailored with real-world obstetric scenarios relevant to your teams and clinical context.
Delivery
An intensive day of interactive workshops led by instructors with genuine healthcare experience.
Impact
Measurable improvements in safety culture, team communication, and patient safety outcomes on the labour ward.
Ready to Transform Safety Culture in Your Maternity Unit?
Get in touch to discuss how this specialist programme can empower your maternity team and improve outcomes for mothers and babies. No obligation, just a conversation about safer care.