Monday, 9th May 2011  
 
Commenting on the reforms in the NHS, Cathy Warwick, General Secretary of the Royal College of Midwives, said: “We are becoming increasingly uncomfortable about the direction of NHS reforms. The level of competition that the reforms will bring in will lead to fragmentation of services. Trusts will be competing against each other not collaborating, and collaboration not competition is the key to better care. This would be a backward step for maternity services. 
 
“At a time when the NHS is required to find efficiency savings of £20bn over the next four years, the last thing that the service needed was another costly and destabilising top-down reorganisation. We do not need a root and branch reform of the NHS, we need a root and branch look at these reforms.
 
“These reforms are too much, too soon, too fast and mothers, babies and midwives will suffer because of it.”

For more information contact the RCM Press Office on 020 7312 3456, pressofficer@rcm.org.uk.

Notes to editors

The Royal College of Midwives is the voice of midwifery. We are the UK’s only trade union and professional organisation led by midwives for midwives. The vast majority of the midwifery profession are our members. The RCM promotes midwifery, quality maternity services and professional standards. We support and represent our members individually and collectively in all four UK countries.  We influence on behalf of our members and for the interests of the women and families for which they care.  For more information visit the RCM website at www.rcm.org.uk.