In this new blog post, Gill Travers reflects on how integrating the MOMENTS framework into the Midwifery programme at the University of the West of England (UWE) is encouraging students to reimagine safety culture.
Moments that matter: embedding the MOMENTS Framework into midwifery education at UWE
In the heart of the UWE’s Year 2 Pre-Registration Midwifery module, Context of Midwifery Practice, delivered in partnership with Health Innovation West of England, a quiet but powerful transformation is underway.
In October 2024 I connected with former colleagues, now working at UWE, to explore the opportunity to integrate the MOMENTS framework into the Midwifery programme, subsequently developing a two-hour lecture, which would enable the learners to have deeper insight into perinatal leadership roles – both organisationally and regionally – and how culture and the voices of service users and perinatal teams are being used to develop local services.
Through a blend of quality improvement (QI) methodology, leadership insights, and the innovative MOMENTS framework, Student Midwives are learning how to reimagine safety culture – not just as a response to risk, but as a strength-based, human-centred approach to everyday practice.
Why safety culture needs more than policies
Maternity care in England has faced some of the most profound patient safety challenges in recent NHS history. Reports from Morecambe Bay, Shrewsbury and Telford, and East Kent have all highlighted systemic failures with a consistent theme at their core: service users were not heard, and staff were unsupported.
In response to these challenges, NHS England’s Three-Year Delivery Plan for Maternity and Neonatal Services published in 2023 called for a culture shift; one grounded in compassion, equity, and systemic learning.
In collaboration with the UWE pre-registration midwifery programme, Health Innovation West of England is helping to answer that call by embedding real-world tools and leadership strategies, notably the MOMENTS framework developed by the SAPPHIRE research team at the University of Leicester and the NHS England Perinatal Culture and Leadership Programme (PCLP) team.
What is MOMENTS?
MOMENTS is more than just a framework; it’s a lens through which perinatal teams can explore the ’everyday’- the routine, often invisible actions that make up the fabric of healthcare culture. Rooted in social theory and the lived experiences of ten maternity and neonatal units across England, MOMENTS emphasises:
- Reflection on everyday practices (such as handovers, huddles, or simply making tea)
- Recognition of underlying values (compassion, trust, civility)
- Creating space for all voices – making sure staff and service users alike can be heard and valued
- Shifting from a deficit-focused model to one of appreciative inquiry
As one student noted in post-session feedback:
“What was useful for me in this session was gaining a deeper understanding of what contributes to a positive safety culture, especially through a strengths-based approach that focuses on what is working well rather than solely on errors or incidents. I found it particularly helpful to learn that the process of engaging with colleagues – creating space for open dialogue, mutual understanding, and shared decision-making – is just as important as any plans or changes we develop.
“This reminded me of the value of giving everyone a voice and how involving the whole team in shaping safety culture can lead to greater innovation, ownership, and lasting improvement.”
Aligning learning outcomes with national strategy
The integration of MOMENTS directly supports the learning outcomes of UWE’s module for Student Midwives, supporting development of skills that will be integrated into clinical practice and service improvements:
- Critical appraisal and QI
Students apply real-world tools like the IHI Model for Improvement, driver diagrams, and stakeholder mapping to design and justify QI proposals aimed at inclusive, responsive midwifery care. - Leadership and advocacy
Through MOMENTS, students explore how everyday actions demonstrate leadership, enabling them to advocate for cultural change from within. - Safety and systems thinking
Cultural conversations foster an understanding of how small interactions contribute to larger patterns, making safety culture tangible, measurable, and improvable.
These outcomes are not isolated goals; they align with broader NHS and Patient Safety Collaborative (PSC) ambitions. PSCs, through the Health Innovation Network, continue to support over 150 quad/perinatal leadership teams to implement local safety culture improvements through QI coaching, cross-team collaboration, and shared learning networks.
Experience in practice: making the invisible visible
During the UWE session, students engaged in practical MOMENTS exercises. From deconstructing the practice of making a cup of tea to analysing values within team huddles, students uncovered how even the simplest actions can reflect, or undermine, organisational values.
These activities weren’t just theoretical. They mirrored the practical approach of PSC-led improvement projects across NHS trusts: using cultural conversation tools, protected reflection time, and service-user insight to shape safer, more equitable care systems.
The voice of service users: a non-negotiable
Central to the MOMENTS framework and the UWE module is the voice of service users. The session reinforced the importance of listening to women and families with compassion, as highlighted by Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnerships (MNVPs). Their role in co-designing services, feeding back on safety incidents, and holding systems accountable is critical to realising the ambition of the NHS’s equity-focused maternity vision.
Looking ahead: shaping a culture of safety, one moment at a time
By embedding the MOMENTS framework within the UWE curriculum, students are not just learning about QI, they are experiencing it. They’re being prepared to lead change that doesn’t start and end with incident reporting or compliance, but with relationships, values, and everyday practices.
As PSCs continue their national mission to support change teams, build communities of practice, and deliver sustainable improvement interventions, from civility toolkits to interprofessional safety huddles, UWE midwifery students are already one step ahead: equipped, inspired, and ready to shape the future of maternity care, one MOMENT at a time.
Further resources
- Maternity and Neonatal Safety Improvement Programme
- Perinatal Culture and Leadership Programme
- Quality Improvement Toolkit
- MOMENTS Framework Resources
Illustrations courtesy of the University of Leicester
Posted on June 12, 2025 by Gill Travers, Registered Midwife and Senior Project Manager at Health Innovation West of England
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