Maternity advocacy

The Maternity and Neonatal Independent Senior Advocate (MNISA) pilot service will be closing at the end of March 2026 and is no longer accepting new referrals.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has published the evaluation of the Maternity and Neonatal Independent Senior Advocate (MNISA) Pilot which can be found here. We are grateful to the families, colleagues, and partners across Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire who contributed to this important work.

Following consideration by the National Maternity and Neonatal Programme Board, it has been agreed that the pilot will conclude on 31 March 2026. Please be reassured that if you are currently receiving support or have recently been offered a referral into the service, our Maternity and Neonatal Independent Senior Advocate (MNISA) Sascha Webb remains committed to supporting you until then. Sascha will work with you to develop a personalised care and support plan to ensure you continue to have access to the help and information you need.

If you would like to speak to Sascha for more information about how to access support, you can contact her by phone on 07557 203 965 or email at bswicb.mnisa@nhs.net

You can also find further information and alternative support by visiting Support and information following an adverse incident or outcome in maternity or neonatal care

Maternity and Neonatal Independent Senior Advocate

The Maternity and Neonatal Independent Senior Advocate (also referred to as Maternity and Neonatal ISA or MNISA) is a new senior role being piloted to support women, birthing people and families in England. This follows the Immediate and Essential Actions identified in the Ockenden review into maternity care at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital.

This role was developed by NHS England working alongside people who have experienced adverse outcomes and NHS staff.

Maternity and Neonatal Independent Senior Advocates help ensure the voices of women, birthing people and families are listened to, heard and acted upon by their maternity and neonatal care providers when they have experienced an adverse outcome during their maternity and/or neonatal care.

This information is available in other languages

How can a Maternity and Neonatal Independent Senior Advocate support me?

If during your maternity or neonatal care in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire, you have experienced an adverse outcome you can go to a Maternity and Neonatal Independent Senior Advocate for help.

Recent reports and inquiries into maternity and neonatal care identify a range of adverse outcomes that can occur during care. During the initial pilot phase, the MNISA might be able to support you if you have experienced any of the following adverse outcomes:

Your baby died before they were born, after 24 weeks of pregnancy (known as stillbirth).
Your baby died in the first 28 days of life.
The baby's mother or birthing parent died within a year of the birth.
You had an unexpected removal of your womb (hysterectomy) within 6 weeks of giving birth.
You were cared for in the critical or intensive care unit and this wasn't planned.
Your baby has or might have a brain injury.

If you have experienced any of these outcomes, your advocate is here for you and your family and can:

Help and support you and your family to be listened to and heard by your maternity and neonatal care providers.
Attend meetings with you.
Support you through the maternity and neonatal healthcare system to help you understand what happened in your care.
Support you through investigation and complaints processes.

You do not need to be sure if there were mistakes or negligence in the mother or baby’s care to ask for support. If the advocate is not best placed to support you as part of their role, they will signpost you to other support services available.

Who is my Maternity and Neonatal Independent Senior Advocate?

How do you request support from a Maternity and Neonatal Independent Senior Advocate?

You can contact your Maternity and Neonatal Independent Senior Advocate by calling, emailing, writing to them, or filling out a referral form using the details below. You can also ask any health or support professional to contact us on your behalf.

Telephone call or Text: 07557 203 965
Email: bswicb.mnisa@nhs.net
Writing to: Sascha Webb, Maternity and Neonatal Independent Senior Advocate, Jenner House, Avon Way, Langley Park, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 1GG.

The service is free of charge and interpreters are available if needed.

You don’t have to use a Maternity and Neonatal Independent Senior Advocate if you do not want to, and you can stop contact at any time without giving a reason.

How is a Maternity and Neonatal Independent Senior Advocate independent?

A Maternity and Neonatal Independent Senior Advocate is independent from the trust that provided your care, so families can be confident that they are fair and impartial. They report to the local Integrated Care Board, which is responsible for the provision of all care in your area.

Everything you say to your Maternity and Neonatal Independent Senior Advocate is confidential unless you ask or agree with them to share it with others. The only exception to this is if they have a safeguarding concern about you, or your family’s welfare or you share something that would pose a risk to you or another member of public.

When may a Maternity and Neonatal Independent Senior Advocate not be able to help?

The advocate may not be best placed to help if your concerns are solely about your birth choices rather than the adverse outcome, or if you have any general enquiries related to maternity and neonatal services.

A Maternity and Neonatal Independent Senior Advocate may not be best placed to help you if:

All your avenues of investigation or complaint have been concluded.
Your concerns are solely about your birth choices rather than from an adverse outcome.
You have any general queries related to maternity and neonatal services.

What happens at the end of the pilot?

What do I do if I have a concern about the service?

How will my data be handled?

What other support is available to me?

Can I access this information in other languages?

Your Maternity and Neonatal Independent Senior Advocate

Your local Maternity and Neonatal Independent Senior Advocate is Sascha Webb.

Sascha has worked in health for a long time and really cares about supporting women, birthing people and families through difficult times.

Sascha understands how hard it is to share your experiences. She can help you understand things, feel listened to and heard so that improvements can be made for the future.

To contact Sascha Webb please call 07557 203 965 or email bswicb.mnisa@nhs.net