In 2022 we set up the in-house maternity stop smoking service as part of the prevention workstream within the NHS long-term plan. Amy joined us from the start of this new venture as a Maternity Stop Smoking Advisor (Specialist Maternity Support Worker) and has been an incredible addition to the maternity team, frequently demonstrating her commitment, kindness and effectiveness in all aspects of this varied and challenging role. We know that a smoke-free start is so important for the health and wellbeing of each baby, and we are proud to say that Amy's dedication has helped contribute to a significant reduction in our smoking at time of delivery rates, which is a major accomplishment.

Feedback from service users has been exceptionally positive, and Amy is excellent at adapting to their needs to encourage engagement with the service and improve health outcomes for mums and babies. Amy provides flexibility in offering the stop smoking service across sites, remotely and at home or in mutual locations for those who prefer it, including evening availability. Recently someone who has successfully quit smoking in pregnancy with Amy's support said that Amy listened to her, was very caring and that she was "just brilliant and she could not have asked for better support".

We aim for the best quality service we can possibly provide therefore we invited our experienced colleagues at Hertfordshire Health Improvement Service to shadow clinics and provide any feedback for improvement in our work. 

A senior Health Improvement Specialist provided the following exemplary feedback "I am very happy to say I have completed the shadowing sessions with Amy & she is going brilliantly! Her rapport and relationship building with the clients is outstanding & she is able to adapt well when consultations do not go to plan... she is an asset to the team".

Amy comes across many complexities with the women she cares for and has shown true compassion for those in challenging situations on numerous occasions, often expertly escalating safeguarding or mental health concerns alongside providing stop smoking support. Recently, some concerns for a vulnerable client were referred to the stop smoking team. Amy showed great initiative not only in addressing the carbon monoxide-related concerns to ensure the safety of the family but also in taking the opportunity to utilize the help of an interpreter to go through important clinical letters and appointments relating to other aspects of her maternity care to ensure they were understood. This demonstrated her holistic approach to each person she cares for and how she naturally goes above and beyond. Amy's warm and helpful nature truly made a difference to this woman and helped her navigate an unfamiliar situation and system with greater ease.

Highlighting the importance of a lesser-known role in the grand scheme of a very busy department, Amy contributes significantly to improving outcomes for the current and future generations, helping to ensure the healthiest possible starts for babies and young families. It is not to be underestimated the lifelong impact her work will have on many, many individuals, and I feel this should be acknowledged to thank her for her exceptional work and raise the profile of her invaluable role.