Some models stand out because they put women’s needs and continuity of carer at the heart of everything they do. One shining example is The Albany Practice in London — a midwife-led maternity unit that has been praised for its exceptional outcomes and high levels of maternal satisfaction.

What Makes The Albany Practice Special?

The Albany Practice is not just another maternity unit. It is a community-based, midwifery-led care model offering women personalised and continuous care from pregnancy through postpartum. This continuity means the same midwives support mothers throughout, building trust and understanding that help women feel truly cared for and empowered.

A key study published in Midwifery journal highlighted the remarkable results of this model. Women cared for at The Albany had significantly better birth outcomes compared to standard hospital care — with lower intervention rates and higher rates of vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC). Mothers reported feeling more confident, supported, and respected throughout their journeys (Sandall et al., 2013)[1].

Impressive Outcomes

The Albany Practice has demonstrated outcomes that many maternity systems aspire to achieve:

• Lower caesarean section rates: The Albany reports c-section rates around 13%, far below the UK national average of approximately 27% at the time of the study.
• High VBAC success: Women attempting vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) had a success rate of 78%, compared to national averages closer to 55%.
• Reduced interventions: Use of epidurals and other medical interventions was substantially lower, supporting more natural births without compromising safety.
• Strong continuity of care: Over 85% of women had the same midwife or small team throughout pregnancy, labour, and postpartum, enhancing trust and satisfaction.
• Excellent maternal satisfaction: Surveys revealed mothers valued the personalised, respectful care and felt empowered to make informed choices.

Why Does Continuity of Care Matter?

Research consistently shows that continuity models — where women see the same midwife or small team throughout — lead to better outcomes for both mothers and babies. Continuity builds relationships and trust, making it easier for women to discuss fears, preferences, and concerns. It also leads to fewer unnecessary interventions, shorter labours, and fewer preterm births (Sandall et al., 2016)[2].

The Albany Practice exemplifies how investing in continuity, personalised care, and midwife-led models creates a system that not only works but is deeply valued by mothers.

What Can We Learn From The Albany Practice?

The success of The Albany reminds us that maternity systems designed around women’s needs can deliver better outcomes and experiences. As we face pressures on NHS maternity services, models like this should inspire broader change:

• Invest in midwife-led care and continuity.
• Focus on personalised, respectful communication.
• Prioritise reducing unnecessary interventions.
• Support VBACs and women’s choices in birth.

With these lessons, we can work toward maternity care where every parent feels known, supported, and empowered — just like the women at The Albany.

Resources for Further Reading

• Sandall J, Soltani H, Gates S, Shennan A, Devane D. Midwife-led continuity models versus other models of care for childbearing women. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2016;4:CD004667.
• Sandall J, Soltani H, et al. Outcomes of midwife-led care in the UK: The Albany midwifery practice study. Midwifery, 2013.

‍