Mothers are turned away due to midwife shortage
A dire shortage of midwives is forcing maternity units to turn away expectant mothers, a survey has found. Figures show that centres across England closed temporarily for a total of 170 days last year, during which time women would have had to go elsewhere for help.The survey, collated by the controversial research organisation Dr Foster, found that 24 of the 39 maternity units forced to close had to do so for periods of 24 hours or more.
In some regions fewer than two thirds of units were able to offer one-to-one care, in which a woman is looked after by one midwife throughout pregnancy, the report claims.
There are fears that the situation could worsen further still after the Government last week outlined plans for maternity services that could see dozens of units shut down permanently and pregnant women forced to travel further to give birth.
Louise Silverton, the deputy general secretary of the Royal College of Midwives, said: "We have 25,000 midwives in the UK but 55 per cent of them work part time. We estimate that we need 10,000 more.
"As well as a rising birth rate, the Government is asking us to do much more, such as assess women for domestic violence. Yet instead of increasing numbers, we are finding that trusts are freezing posts, so newly qualified midwives can't get jobs."
A Department of Health spokesman said: "There are various factors that influence the decision to close a maternity unit for a period of time, including staff and bed availability and the number of women and complexity of care needed.
The minister in charge of maternity care sparked controversy last week when he failed to turn up at the launch of the review of the service. Ivan Lewis, who had already been accused of hypocrisy for campaigning against health cuts in his Bury constituency, said he had to attend another event in his role as minister for older people.
He denied that he should resign from the Government because he opposed plans to cut maternity services in his own constituency.
The Conservatives, who have claimed that 43 maternity units had closed or were under threat, said they had not seen any clinical evidence of the need to change the service.
Andrew Lansley, the shadow health secretary, said: "Government nationally seems to be saying that everything has to change, while locally Labour ministers say they don't believe it and it's not justified. There's a hypocrisy in that."
From:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/02/12/nbirth12.xml
The dire circumstances that faces the midwifery profession was highlighted by Health Direct on
Jan 10, 2007 when the RCM warned that Maternity cash is cut amid boom in the 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."
In some regions fewer than two thirds of units were able to offer one-to-one care, in which a woman is looked after by one midwife throughout pregnancy, the report claims.
There are fears that the situation could worsen further still after the Government last week outlined plans for maternity services that could see dozens of units shut down permanently and pregnant women forced to travel further to give birth.
Louise Silverton, the deputy general secretary of the Royal College of Midwives, said: "We have 25,000 midwives in the UK but 55 per cent of them work part time. We estimate that we need 10,000 more.
"As well as a rising birth rate, the Government is asking us to do much more, such as assess women for domestic violence. Yet instead of increasing numbers, we are finding that trusts are freezing posts, so newly qualified midwives can't get jobs."
A Department of Health spokesman said: "There are various factors that influence the decision to close a maternity unit for a period of time, including staff and bed availability and the number of women and complexity of care needed.
The minister in charge of maternity care sparked controversy last week when he failed to turn up at the launch of the review of the service. Ivan Lewis, who had already been accused of hypocrisy for campaigning against health cuts in his Bury constituency, said he had to attend another event in his role as minister for older people.
He denied that he should resign from the Government because he opposed plans to cut maternity services in his own constituency.
The Conservatives, who have claimed that 43 maternity units had closed or were under threat, said they had not seen any clinical evidence of the need to change the service.
Andrew Lansley, the shadow health secretary, said: "Government nationally seems to be saying that everything has to change, while locally Labour ministers say they don't believe it and it's not justified. There's a hypocrisy in that."
From:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/02/12/nbirth12.xml
The dire circumstances that faces the midwifery profession was highlighted by Health Direct on
Jan 10, 2007 when the RCM warned that Maternity cash is cut amid boom in the 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."
Labels: birth rate, maternity, midwives, NHS closures, RCM
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