Table 3

Key characteristics of sources

TitleReferencePublication type (policy, report, press release, briefing, statement, professional guidance, peer reviewed article, commentary, decision-support tool/framework, blog)Date of publicationPopulation (maternity, paediatrics or all clinical specialities)Source scope (international, national, regional, trust and hospital)
Grey literature sources
Principles for reintroducing health services – COVID-1944Professional guidanceMay 2020AllNational
Covid-19. Effects on health from non-COVID-19 conditions and moving forward to deliver healthcare for all46Professional guidanceMay 2020AllNational
Preparing for COVID-19 surges and winter68Professional guidanceJul 2020AllNational
Reset, restore and recovery: staff support45Professional guidanceJun 2020AllNational
Health protection: public and professional responsibilities91Professional guidance11 July 2020AllNational
Reset, restore and recovery: medical education and training47Professional guidanceJune 2020AllNational
Reset, restore and recovery: equality69Professional guidanceJune 2020AllNational
Second phase of NHS response to COVID-1993Policy (letter)29 April 2020AllNational
Operating framework for urgent and planned services within hospitals: all emergency patients to be tested on admission and elective patients to isolate for 14 days prior to admission92Policy14 May 2020AllNational
Second phase of NHS response to COVID-19 for cancer services93Policy (letter)8 July 2020AllNational
WRES briefing for board and COVID-19 emergency preparedness, resilience and response (EPRR) membership in the NHS70Briefing24 June 2020AllNational
COVID-19: guidance for the remobilisation of services within health and care settings, infection prevention and control recommendations94Public Health England Guidance20 August 2020AllNational
Delivering a paediatric elective surgery service during the COVID-19 pandemic95Implementation of NICE guidance27 July 2020AllNational
COVID-19: guidance for planning paediatric staffing and rotas48Professional guidance10 July 2020PaediatricsNational
COVID-19 and Us: views from RCPCH and Us53RCPCH engagement4 November 2020PaediatricsNational
Ethics framework for use in acute paediatric settings during COVID-19 pandemic71Professional guidance1 September 2020PaediatricsNational
National guidance for the recovery of elective surgery in children58Professional guidance9 November 2020PaediatricsNational
Reset, restore, recover – RCPCH principles for recovery96Professional guidance19 May 2020PaediatricsNational
It is right to restart services, but we must do so in a safe way49Blog7 June 2020AllNational
Antenatal care for women without suspected or confirmed COVID-19 and living in a symptom free household52Professional guidance14 August 2020MaternityNational
RCM briefing on reintroduction of visitors to maternity units across the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic59Professional guidance15 July 2020MaternityNational
RCM clinical briefing sheet: guidance for midwifery services on ‘freebirth’ or ‘unassisted childbirth’ during the COVID-19 pandemic72Professional guidance30 April 2020MaternityNational
Guidance for the provision of midwife-led settings and home birth in the evolving COVID-19 pandemic97Professional guidance21 October 2020MaternityNational
Equality essentials: appropriate risk assessment during the current pandemic98Professional guidanceMay 2020MaternityNational
COVID-19 impact on black, Asian and minority ethnic women65Professional guidance15 July 2020MaternityNational
Principles for the testing and triage of women seeking maternity care in hospital settings during the COVID-19 pandemic: a supplementary framework for maternity healthcare professionals99Professional guidance10 August 2020MaternityNational
Guidance for antenatal and postnatal services in the evolving COVID-19 pandemic51Professional guidance19 June 2020MaternityNational
Antenatal care for women with current suspected or confirmed COVID-19 or with a member of their household with suspected or confirmed COVID-19100Professional guidance24 July 2020MaternityNational
Domestic abuse: identifying, caring for and supporting women at risk of/victims of domestic abuse during COVID-1966Professional guidance13 November 2020MaternityNational
Bereavement care in maternity services during COVID-19 pandemic74Professional guidance14 July 2020MaternityNational
Postnatal care for women with suspected or confirmed COVID-1984Professional guidance14 August 2020MaternityNational
Virtual consultations50Professional guidance24 July 2020MaternityNational
Restarting planned surgery in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic56Professional guidance1 May 2020AllNational
Delivering midwifery intrapartum care where local COVID-19 escalation protocols are required to be enacted101NICE guidance20 July 2020AllNational
Supporting pregnant women using maternity services during the COVID-19 pandemic: actions for NHS providers60Briefing14 December 2020MaternityNational
Important—for action—operational priorities for winter and 2021/202257Policy (letter)23 December 2020AllNational
National Clinical Prioritisation Programme (including evidence based interventions): frequently asked questions67Policy23 September 2020AllNational
Digital by default or digital divide? Virtual healthcare consultations with young people 10–25 years55ReportSeptember 2020PaediatricsNational
Restoring children’s health services, COVID-19 and winter planning – position statement62Statement9 October 2020PaediatricsNational
Anaesthesia and critical care: guidance for clinical directors on preparation for a possible second surge in COVID-192Professional guidance7 October 2020AllNational
COVID-19 in pregnancy: information for healthcare professionals54Professional guidance14 October 2020MaternityNational
Joint Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and Royal College of Midwives (RCM) statement: planning for winter 2020/2021 – reducing the impact of COVID-19 on maternity services in the UK64Professional guidance8 October 2020MaternityNational
Midwives call for common sense on maternity visiting guidance61Statement15 December 2020MaternityNational
Academic sources
Implications for the future of obstetrics and gynaecology following the COVID-19 pandemic: a commentary63CommentaryMaternityNational
Sustaining quality midwifery care in a pandemic and beyond102Review article25 May 2020MaternityNational
How should surgeons obtain consent during the COVID-19 pandemic?103BMJ Views and Reviews30 June 2020All surgeryNational
Professionally responsible advocacy for women and children first during the COVID-19 pandemic: guidance from World Association of Perinatal Medicine and International Academy of Perinatal Medicine76Peer-reviewed article26 November 2020MaternityInternational
Respectful maternity care in the context of COVID-19: a human rights perspective104Peer-reviewed article26 November 2020MaternityInternational
  • NHS, National Health Service; NICE, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.