Hospital baby photo service for new parents that divides opinions removed from Northampton's maternity wards

A controversial service that offers new parents the chance to have professional photos taken on maternity wards after they have given birth has been scrapped.

Bounty, which offers ‘bedside portraits’ as well as information packs, has had its contract cut by Northampton General Hospital.

The company was given a year’s notice and the contract concluded in April this year.

Since then, Bounty has contacted previous customers to make them aware of the removal and to find out if they agree with the decision, in a bid to collect data to support reinstating the services.

The service is one that is that has always divided opinions among new mums and groups that represent them.

One mum, who did not have Bounty photos taken, said: “Looking back to the hours after I gave birth now, it all feels quite hazy. But I do remember that the Bounty woman with a trolley kept coming to my bedside asking if I wanted a photo taken.

“Every time she appeared it never seemed the right time.

“I hadn't slept for three days, my baby wasn't feeding and I just didn't have the energy to think about speaking to her about photos.

“At the time it seemed like an annoyance. However, I do look back now with a clear head and regret not having those early newborn pictures.

“It's really hard to even think straight when dealing with such sleep deprivation and birth trauma.

“I do have friends who were in a better head space to have the pictures taken and they absolutely adore them so it's very different for everyone."

Another new mother who did buy the photos, added: “Throughout the pregnancy, we said we wouldn’t get the Bounty pics as we’d heard so much about them being expensive.

“But when we were approached by the Bounty lady in hospital, we thought let’s have the pictures taken and then make a decision.

“When she showed us them in hospital, they were beautiful and we couldn’t not buy them.

“They weren’t cheap and I completely understand that it is an expense that some people can’t afford.

“There is also the pressure of having to say yes or no to the Bounty rep, who is a sales person after all.

“But we appreciated the chance to have the pictures taken and will treasure them forever.

“It’s a shame that the Bounty service is being removed from NGH because it takes away the choice from new parents.”

In an email sent out to customers, seen by the Chronicle & Echo, the company said the decision was ‘independent’ of the Covid-19 pandemic, as its representatives ‘will not be on wards while it is unsafe to be there.’

The company also claims, in the email, that ‘pressure’ came from a group that works to improve maternity care to remove the service, but the company believes the collective opinion of the group about the service was based on ‘unreliable and biased data’.

Northampton General Hospital has confirmed the decision was made on the back of feedback from patients.

A hospital spokeswoman said: “We are no longer using the Bounty services at Northampton General Hospital as a result of feedback from staff and patients.

“We provided one year’s notice to them and it was agreed that the contract would finish at the end of the 2019/2020 financial year.”

Bounty has been contacted for an official comment, but had not responded by the time of publication.

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