From left to right: Fran, Becky, Mary, Danielle, Natalie, Nicky and Zoe

The Albany Midwifery Practice is one of nine midwifery group practices at Kings College Hospital, London. A sub-contract has been negotiated between Kings Healthcare Trust and the Albany Practice to provide midwifery care for women in and around the Peckham area.

The group comprises seven midwives (six whole caseload equivalents), a practice manager and a practice administrator. We are self-employed and self managed. Each midwife carries an individual caseload of women: 36 as primary midwife and 36 as second midwife. There are two midwives who have a half caseload. The midwives are on call for the women 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The caseload is generated by four local GPs, and some referrals from consultant obstetricians at Kings. Our caseload is representative of the Kings population.

The Practice is based in the Peckham Pulse, a Healthy Living Centre, in the centre of Peckham. The area has high levels of deprivation. It ranks 14th (out of 354 districts in England, with 1 representing as the most deprived) in a Multiple Deprivation Index. This Index takes into account health, education, housing, geographical access to services, income and employment (ONS 2007). In 2003 the perinatal mortality rates were above the national average: 11.7 per 1000 births compared with 7.9 for England and Wales (Crown copyright 2007).