Wednesday, 27th April 2011
Cathy Warwick, General Secretary of the Royal College of Midwives, said: “A report highlighting failures such as this should be taken very seriously, and action taken immediately to address the issues raised. These issues keep cropping up again and again in reports and directly from our members’ across England. It is no surprise that problems such as staffing, training and one-to-ne care in labour are areas identified for improvement. Without the right staffing levels it is very difficult to achieve one-to-one care in labour, to release staff for training that will keep them up to date in their clinical practice and to maintain equipment.
“It is deeply worrying that we are seeing an increasing number of reports coming from the Care Quality Commission highlighting failings in maternity services. I have real concerns that against a backdrop of massive reorganisation and reforms in the NHS, along with the need for the NHS to make £20 billion in savings, that the situation for our maternity services will get worse, not better.
“David Cameron before he came into Government promised the NHS 3000 more midwives. I restate our request to him that he honour this commitment, so that maternity services will not struggle against underfunding and understaffing, and so that they can deliver safe and high quality care for women and their babies.”
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.
