OUH 15 Steps 2024 Interim Report

What’s your first impression when you walk into a hospital?
Do you feel welcomed? Safe? Reassured that you’ll be cared for?
Or do you feel a little nervous about what lies ahead, maybe unsettled by the look or feel of the space around you?

For families coming into maternity and neonatal care, those first moments matter. They shape how people feel about the care they’re about to receive — before they’ve even spoken to a midwife or doctor.

That’s exactly what the 15 Steps Challenge is about.

Last November, Oxfordshire families, staff, and volunteers walked through every maternity and neonatal area across Oxford University Hospitals (OUH).

Together, we looked at what feels warm and welcoming — and where things could be improved. Here's what we found:

What’s Working Well

Three themes came up again and again as things families really appreciated:

Warm and friendly staff
Smiles and kind words go a long way. Families noticed staff being welcoming across many areas, from the Horton Midwifery-Led Unit to the Spires and Neonatal HDU. Displays of thank-you cards and staff recognition boards also added a personal touch.

Calm and well-kept spaces
The Cotswold Birthing Unit and the Butterfly Bereavement Suite were especially praised for their calm, homely feel. Soft lighting, uncluttered areas, and thoughtful artwork made a real difference.

Clear, useful information
Families valued posters and displays that were easy to read, well-placed, and available in different languages. QR codes and inclusive signage about safety, mental health, feeding, and skin-to-skin care were especially appreciated.

Where Improvements Are Needed

We also identified areas where changes would make a big difference:

Facility maintenance
Some spaces showed signs of wear and tear, with older décor, damaged seating, and toilets or showers in need of updating.

Overwhelming signage
Sometimes information boards felt cluttered or used off-putting language (like “Do Not” signs or BMI warnings). Families told us this can feel stigmatising instead of supportive.

Accessibility challenges
Busy, open-plan spaces — like Level 1 outpatients or the Neonatal HDU/ICU — were hard for neurodivergent families who needed quiet places to process emotions or regulate their senses.

What Happens Next

This was just the beginning.

We’ve already taken the next step — sharing your feedback with senior leadership at Oxford University Hospitals and with the OMNVP committee, a collective of health practitioners, partners, and voices who support Oxfordshire’s maternity and neonatal families.

Now, we’re working on concrete actions to address the areas that need attention.

We’ll keep you updated as improvements are made — because every family deserves to feel safe, welcomed, and supported from the moment they step into care.

💬 Want to join the next 15 Steps Challenge?
We’d love for you to be part of it! Sign up to our event newsletter to be the first to hear when the next in-person challenge is happening.

Together, we can make maternity and neonatal care in Oxfordshire more welcoming for every family.