Maternity cash cut amid boom in birthrate, say midwives
The NHS is responding to a boom in the birthrate by cutting spending on maternity services, the Royal College of Midwives said after a survey of more than 100 heads of midwifery in hospital trusts across Britain. It found that two thirds of maternity units were understaffed and most were trying to save money by employing fewer qualified midwives and taking on maternity support workers instead.
Louise Silverton, the college's deputy general secretary, said: "This is terrible news for a labour government that in its election manifesto pledged every woman would have a named individual midwife to care for her by 2009. The midwifery shortage is getting worse rather than better at a time when we are experiencing a significant increase in the number of births."
The survey produced a "depressing picture" of cuts, job freezes, shortages and financial crises.
More than one in five heads of midwifery reported a cut in the number of midwives at their trust. Hospitals were also cutting budgets for the training and development of midwives, in some cases by 75% or even 100%. A few units have become totally dependent on charitable donations to fund midwifery training, the RCM added.
The survey found that midwifery units recruited an average of 6.3 newly qualified midwives last year, compared with 6.8 in 2005. The average unit had 21 maternity support workers last year, compared with 19 in 2005.
Ms Silverton said: "This is irrefutable proof that midwives are under enormous pressure and nothing is being done to alleviate the situation. Unless midwifery services are expanded there is no hope of the labour government's manifesto commitments being achieved."
"Heads of midwifery are in charge of making sure that women have a good birthing experience. That is very hard when a third of those who responded to our survey said their maternity services budget had been cut, that a total recruitment freeze was still in place in many units, and that newly-qualified midwives are not getting jobs."
Reported in:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,,1985892,00.html
It was of course the closure of the maternity unit in Salford that led to the charge on Jan 02 07's Health Direct posting that the Labour leader Blears defends hypocritical charges over NHS closures in her constituency
When Cabinet minister Hazel Blears defended her decision to take part in a protest over plans to close part of a maternity hospital in her constituency. The proposals for Hope Hospital in Salford, Greater Manchester, are part of the controversial NHS shake up throughout the country. Ms Blears, Labour chairwoman, said: "My first and foremost job is to represent Salford and the people of the area." It is very rare for a minister to directly oppose labour government policy.
Her efforts follow Home Secretary John Reid's presence at protests against hospital cuts in his Airdrie and Shotts constituency in April.
Health Emergency's head of campaigns, Geoff Martin, said Cabinet ministers were only supporting local protests "in a bid to save their own political skins. There are 29 hospitals up and down the country facing the immediate threat of cuts and closure to key services in 2007.
"Will Hazel Blears be joining demonstrators on the streets in each of those areas or is this just a classic case of 'not in my back yard'?
His view was echoed by Ms Blears' Conservative counterpart Andrew Lansley, who said she needed to consider whose side she was on.
"It is a government policy to say that maternity units must be much larger. So if Hazel Blears doesn't like what happens as a consequence of government policy in her constituency, then perhaps she should change the government policy - or get out of the labour government."
Louise Silverton, the college's deputy general secretary, said: "This is terrible news for a labour government that in its election manifesto pledged every woman would have a named individual midwife to care for her by 2009. The midwifery shortage is getting worse rather than better at a time when we are experiencing a significant increase in the number of births."
The survey produced a "depressing picture" of cuts, job freezes, shortages and financial crises.
More than one in five heads of midwifery reported a cut in the number of midwives at their trust. Hospitals were also cutting budgets for the training and development of midwives, in some cases by 75% or even 100%. A few units have become totally dependent on charitable donations to fund midwifery training, the RCM added.
The survey found that midwifery units recruited an average of 6.3 newly qualified midwives last year, compared with 6.8 in 2005. The average unit had 21 maternity support workers last year, compared with 19 in 2005.
Ms Silverton said: "This is irrefutable proof that midwives are under enormous pressure and nothing is being done to alleviate the situation. Unless midwifery services are expanded there is no hope of the labour government's manifesto commitments being achieved."
"Heads of midwifery are in charge of making sure that women have a good birthing experience. That is very hard when a third of those who responded to our survey said their maternity services budget had been cut, that a total recruitment freeze was still in place in many units, and that newly-qualified midwives are not getting jobs."
Reported in:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,,1985892,00.html
It was of course the closure of the maternity unit in Salford that led to the charge on Jan 02 07's Health Direct posting that the Labour leader Blears defends hypocritical charges over NHS closures in her constituency
When Cabinet minister Hazel Blears defended her decision to take part in a protest over plans to close part of a maternity hospital in her constituency. The proposals for Hope Hospital in Salford, Greater Manchester, are part of the controversial NHS shake up throughout the country. Ms Blears, Labour chairwoman, said: "My first and foremost job is to represent Salford and the people of the area." It is very rare for a minister to directly oppose labour government policy.
Her efforts follow Home Secretary John Reid's presence at protests against hospital cuts in his Airdrie and Shotts constituency in April.
Health Emergency's head of campaigns, Geoff Martin, said Cabinet ministers were only supporting local protests "in a bid to save their own political skins. There are 29 hospitals up and down the country facing the immediate threat of cuts and closure to key services in 2007.
"Will Hazel Blears be joining demonstrators on the streets in each of those areas or is this just a classic case of 'not in my back yard'?
His view was echoed by Ms Blears' Conservative counterpart Andrew Lansley, who said she needed to consider whose side she was on.
"It is a government policy to say that maternity units must be much larger. So if Hazel Blears doesn't like what happens as a consequence of government policy in her constituency, then perhaps she should change the government policy - or get out of the labour government."
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7:21 PM
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