• • To find out the proportion of patients for whom the dates of births of their children, age and their due date were recorded during their initial assessment as a means of reducing risks through safeguarding.

• • According to the Royal College of Psychiatrists: Standards for Community Perinatal Mental Health Services 5th Edition (2020), Under Section 5 – Rights, Infant Welfare and Safeguarding: during the initial assessment, the baby's age and date of birth and mother's due date should be recorded as part of the infants' physical and emotional care needs assessment.

• • All new patients discussed during multidisciplinary team meetings within a 2 month period from 01/08/2023 to 30/09/2023 were identified

• • Their clinical records were audited.

• • This information was cross-checked with the information provided on their referral letters.

• • Patients attending preconception counselling were excluded.

• • The initial results were presented in one of the multidisciplinary team meetings.

• • The recording of the children's ages, date of birth or due dates of their mothers was re-audited two months later.

Audit

• • A total of 70 new patients were discussed within the initial two months period.

• • 25 out of the 70 (36%) did not attend their appointments and two patients (3%) cancelled their appointment.

• • 1 patient who attended for preconception counselling was excluded.

• • Of the remaining 42 patients that were assessed, 6 (14%) were primigravida while 36 (86%) patients were multiparous patients.

• • 15 out of the 42 (36%) had their children's age, dates of birth and due date recorded while 27 out of the 42 (64%) lacked this record.

Re-audit

• • A total of 65 patients were identified during the re-audit period

• • 18 out of the 65 patients (28%) did not attend their appointment and one patient cancelled her appointment.

• • One patient that attended for preconception counselling was excluded from the re-audit process.

• • Of the remaining 45 patients that were assessed, 2 (4%) were primigravida and the remaining 43 (96%) were multiparous women.

• • The age, dates of birth and the due date were recorded for 26 (58%) out of 45 patients while 19 out of the 45 patients (42%) did not have this record.

• • The children's ages were commonly recorded compared with their date of birth.

• • Gestational ages of the pregnant mothers were commonly recorded compared with their due dates.

• • Date of birth is needed for a quick check on a child for safeguarding reasons and this is useful during the admission of mothers onto a mother and baby unit.

• • The re-audit showed a significant improvement in the documentation of this information in the patients' records.