13
Oct 2015
Maternity unit mistakes could “almost certainly be made” due to budget cuts
The Royal College of Midwives has warned that as the NHS comes under increasing pressure, more maternity units are closing their doors to patients due to budget cuts and a shortage of 2,600 full-time midwives.
The union said that the shortage of midwives was having a considerable impact and that errors would “almost certainly be made”.
A poll of 83 NHS trust midwifery heads found that 42% of maternity units have closed temporarily in the last year, compared with 33% in the previous year.
According to the RCM, midwives were struggling to cope with budget cuts coinciding with increasingly complex births and a rising birth rate, with shortages in staff affecting England the most.
Cathy Warwick, the RCM’s chief executive, said “All of this shows a system that is creaking at the seams and only able to deliver high quality care through the efforts and dedication of its staff.
“When services are operating at or beyond their capacity, safety is compromised and mistakes can, and almost certainly will be made, through no fault of the dedicated staff delivering the service.”
She added that the government was “letting down women, babies and their families”, and “the staff they purport to value”.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’ vice-president for education Dr Clare McKenzie, said the poll results were “extremely worrying”.
She went on to say “Stretched and understaffed maternity services affect the quality and safety of care provided to mothers and babies, and restricts the choices available to women.
“On the whole the UK is a safe place for women to give birth but pressure on maternity services is growing, placing stress on doctors, midwives, managers and patients.”
A spokesperson from the Department of Health said “We’re determined to make sure every mother and baby gets the highest quality care no matter where they live.
“We’ve invested in 1,900 more midwives and 3,600 more health visitors since 2010 and NHS England has commissioned a major independent review of maternity services for women and babies across the country.”
Chadwick Lawrence’s team of Medical negligence lawyers have years of experience in high value and complex Medical negligence compensation claims and have an excellent record. The team is led by Tony May, a specialist cerebral palsy and birth injury solicitor, who has over 20 years experience in handling cases in which babies have been brain damaged or sustained other injuries as a result of Medical negligence. He and his team continue to represent many cerebral palsy children and young adults in Medical negligence claims. Tony also acts as the Court of Protection Deputy for many of the cerebral palsy and brain damaged clients that he has represented, so we can continue to support you after your case is settled. Tony can be contacted by email on tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk. Alternatively, please call and speak to any of Chadwick Lawrence’s specialist Medical negligence Legal Aid and no win-no fee solicitors for free legal advice on the freephone number below.
Freephone: 0800 028 2969
For further information, please see our cerebral palsy and birth injury website:
http://www.cerebralpalsyclaimssolicitors.co.uk
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