Consumers' views of the maternity services: implications for change and quality assurance.

The feasibility and usefulness of consumer surveys for quality assurance and planning maternity services were assessed in a postal survey of 1807 women in four health districts representing a range of social and demographic characteristics. A response rate of 79 per cent was achieved. Scope was identified for some reduction in length of stay: 43 per cent of postnatal women wished for a shorter stay than they have actually experienced. The Domino system and a 1-2 days stay were the preferred options (25 and 24 per cent respectively). Six per cent of postnatal women would have preferred a longer stay than experienced and consisted mainly of women with birth complications including caesarean deliveries, women with lack of help at home and Afro-Caribbeans. Schemes to increase continuity of care and make the delivery suite more home-like would be favoured by a large proportion of women. Sixty-five per cent of women regarded continuity of midwifery care and familiarity with the delivering midwife as important. Seventy-five per cent considered a home-like environment in the delivery suite as important, and gave specific suggestions of how this might be achieved. The results show that consumers' surveys are feasible, with a good response rate and range of views expressed by the study population. They can assist in monitoring quality and provide guidance for planning at local and regional levels.