Get involved and have your say

Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnerships (MNVPs) – Lancashire and South Cumbria 

Introduction 

Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnerships (MNVPs) are independent, multi-disciplinary working groups that bring together women, birthing people, families, commissioners, providers, and community organisations. They exist to ensure that the voices and experiences of those using maternity and neonatal services are heard, valued, and acted upon to improve local care. 

Across Lancashire and South Cumbria, MNVPs are hosted by Healthwatch under the umbrella of People First, working closely with NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (the ICB). 

Why We Need MNVPs 

MNVPs were established following national recommendations and policies recognising the importance of listening to families and involving them in service improvement. They are central to delivering safer, more personalised, and more equitable maternity and neonatal care. 

Key national and local drivers include: 

• Better Births (2016) Better Births Implementation Resource Pack 
• Equity and Equality Guidance for Maternity Services (NHS England, 2021) E & E Guidance  
• Three-Year Delivery Plan for Maternity and Neonatal Services (2023–2026) 3 Year Delivery Plan 
• NHS England MNVP Guidance (2023) MNVP Guidance 

These frameworks emphasise co-production, inclusion, and equity, ensuring services are shaped by those who use them. MNVPs help bridge the gap between lived experience and strategic decision-making. 

Our MNVPs in Lancashire and South Cumbria 

Each MNVP has its own local focus area aligned to a Maternity Provider Trust. Each has a dedicated Lead working with the local maternity and neonatal teams, Healthwatch, the ICB and other stakeholders. Together, they form a collaborative network across Lancashire and South Cumbria. 

Find out more about each MNVP via the links below: 

What MNVPs do 

MNVPs listen to families’ experiences and work with maternity and neonatal services to turn feedback into meaningful change. They work to ensure that they represent the populations they serve, with a focus on reaching underrepresented and seldom-heard groups to ensure services are equitable and inclusive. 

Typical activities include: 

  • Gathering feedback from families through surveys, listening events, focus groups, fifteen steps, walk the patch and outreach
  • Utilising Care Quality Commission (CQC) survey feedback to co-produce action and improvement plans with women, families and clinical leads
  • Ensuring that women, birthing people and families voices have strategic influence 
  • Supporting co-production sessions between families and healthcare professionals
  • Feeding insights into Trust and Local Maternity and Neonatal System (LMNS) governance and improvement plans 
  • Supporting the safety and quality agenda through involvement with safety champions meetings
  • Producing reports to share themes, actions and outcomes 
  • Promoting awareness of maternity and neonatal services across local communities

Core Principles 

  • Independence – MNVPs are independent of maternity service providers to ensure honest feedback. 
  • Equity – actively reaching diverse and seldom-heard communities. 
  • Transparency – sharing findings and actions with families and stakeholders. 
  • Co-production – working together to design and improve services. 
  • Flexibility – adapting to new strategies and emerging priorities. 

Get involved 

If you have lived experience of maternity or neonatal services and would like to share your story or volunteer with an MNVP, please get in touch via your local MNVP link above or contact Healthwatch Lancashire. 

Contact us 

For general enquiries about Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnerships in Lancashire and South Cumbria, please contact: 
 
Healthwatch Lancashire 
Email: info@healthwatchlancashire.co.uk 
Website: Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership – Healthwatch Lancashire