The strategic health authority has the highest average rate at 28.3%, while the North East was lowest with 22.4%.
The national average for 2010-2011 was 24.8%, which is the same as the previous year.
Chelsea and Westminster recorded the highest caesarean rate at 36.3%, while Newham had a rate of 34.2%.
The lowest rate was Shrewsbury and Telford, which recorded 15.3%, and Mid Staffordshire had 15.4%.
Louise Silverton, RCM deputy general secretary, said: ‘We are concerned that the caesarean section rate remains high. It is a surprise that the highest caesarean rates are in London.
‘It is worrying to see that the caesarean rate has remained stable at 25 per cent, despite initiatives aimed at reducing caesarean section.
‘Midwives are the experts when it comes to normal births, without medical intervention, and will care for the vast majority of women having their baby in this way.
‘An increase in caesarean rates and instrumental deliveries often reflects a decrease in involvement with midwives.
‘Thus, the increasing metropolitan focus in caesarean sections could be linked to staffing levels, as there are more midwifery vacancies in London; we know one-to-one care from a midwife increases the possibility of a normal delivery, there may, however, be other factors.
‘When midwives are given the resources and the freedom to innovate and change how they deliver their services, then service improvements can be made.’
The report has been released today (1 December) and was compiled by the NHS Information Centre.
It also shows 14.8% of deliveries were by emergency caesarean and 10.1% were by elective caesarean – these figures have been broadly similar since 2006-07.
Chief executive of The NHS Information Centre, Tim Straughan, said: ‘There is substantial variation in the caesarean rate in different areas of the country, with seven out of ten trusts with the highest rates of all in London.
‘Our figures are based on information that hospitals have recorded and give a rich and broad picture of what is happening in maternity care, which will be of interest to health professionals and the public.’
The report and data tables can be viewed
here.
