Extra Investment To Support Birthing Choices On The NHS, UK

Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Also Included In: Pregnancy / Obstetrics;  Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 25 Jan 2008 - 1:00 PST

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Health Secretary responds to Healthcare Commission's Review of Maternity Services

Health Secretary Alan Johnson announced extra funding for maternity services that will increase over the next three years to reach an additional £122m annually. The funds will ensure mothers will get the best possible care and are guaranteed a full range of birthing choices.

The extra cash will support the implementation of 'Maternity Matters', the Government's maternity strategy: It will help:

Modernise options for the place of birth - this will ensure the NHS can offer women a choice of homebirth, birth in a midwifery facility or in a hospital based maternity unit.

Improve flexibility of maternity services' opening hours - to make services more convenient for mothers. PCTs will also be able to open more community midwife centres, such as Children's Centres, which provide care and support during and after pregnancy.

Increase workforce capacity within maternity and neonatal services -identified locally to meet the needs of individual populations. Trusts will also be able to invest in additional training for maternity and other support workers.

Promote the provision of local, easily accessible antenatal care and postnatal services

Alan Johnson said:

"Bringing a new baby into the world is a life-changing experience for every mother. It is only right that care is designed around the needs of mothers and their partners from the very beginning of pregnancy right through to personal post-natal care.

"I want to see the NHS delivering a gold standard of maternity services for women in every part of the country. This extra investment will help the health service to make the necessary improvements, particularly in London. England is already one of the safest places in the world to give birth but every mother must feel they are properly supported, listened to and cared for."

Responding to the Healthcare Commission's Review of Maternity Services, Alan Johnson added:

"The UK has maternal death rates lower than countries such as the United States and France. The recent Healthcare Commission survey also found that 89% of mothers rated their care as excellent, very good or good.

"The NHS has much more work to do to ensure women receive the most modern maternity care. Alongside the extra funding I have announced today, we have this year made improving maternity services a national priority for the NHS. We expect PCTs to ensure that the best staff are in place to meet local needs and make sure more expectant mothers can access maternity services by the 12th week of pregnancy. We will be holding the NHS to account on delivering improvements - mothers and their babies deserve no less.

"The Healthcare Commission will be working closely with the Trusts who have a 'least well performing' score. They must develop action plans to improve their performance, which will be monitored by Strategic Health Authorities. There can be no suggestion that the least performing are unsafe as otherwise immediate action would be taken by the Healthcare Commission."

Notes

1. 'Maternity Matters' is the Government's maternity strategy. It was published in April 2007 and guaranteed women:

A choice of how to access maternity care - women will be able to go directly to a midwife or via a doctor

A choice of type of antenatal care - women will be able to choose between midwifery care or care led by both doctors and midwives

A choice of place of birth - depending on their medical history and circumstances, women and their partners will be able to choose between home births, or giving birth in a midwifery unit or with midwives and doctors in hospital

A choice of place of postnatal care - women will be able to chose how and where to access postnatal care.

2. The extra to support the implementation of 'Maternity Matters' in 2008/09 was included in PCT baseline allocations as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review settlement. From April Trusts will have access to this additional money.

http://www.dh.gov.uk