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Midwife-led births 'should be the norm not exception'

By Jane Dreaper Health correspondent, BBC News
Midwife with newborn baby Maternity care 'should be led by midwives'

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Maternity units should offer midwife-led care as the norm rather than the exception, says a health think tank.
The King's Fund report notes that last year only 10% of hospital births in England were in midwife-led wards.
It warns, however, that financial pressures mean it is unrealistic to expect significant increases in midwife numbers.
But the Royal College of Midwives said the workforce needed sufficient numbers before care patterns changed.
The researchers looked at studies from the UK and other countries to find out how maternity services could be made safer - without any increase in resources.
They recommend midwife-led care be used much more widely for women who are not at a high risk of having problematic births.
One UK study suggested that £2.5m could be saved by getting midwives, rather than junior doctors, to examine healthy newborn babies.

“Start Quote

Maternity care, like the rest of the NHS, is facing a storm of possible cuts to services.”
End Quote Cathy Warwick Royal College of Midwives
And the report says midwives' time could be used more effectively if maternity support workers and specialist nurses helped with some of their tasks.
The King's Fund's director of policy, Anna Dixon, said: "Expanding midwife-led care would free up doctors to spend more time caring for higher-risk women.
"Having sufficient staffing levels is important, but there is a need to rethink how staff are deployed."
'Folly' The Royal College of Midwives believes up to 4,000 extra midwives are needed to keep pace with the UK's rising birth rate and the increased complexity of many births.
Its general secretary, Cathy Warwick, said: "Maternity care, like the rest of the NHS, is facing a storm of possible cuts to services.
"I am here to warn of the folly of such a course.
"It is difficult, if not impossible, to reorganise your workforce if you do not have enough of them in the first place."
The NHS is under pressure to save up to £20bn over the next four years by finding more efficient ways of working.
The parenting charity NCT (National Childbirth Trust) said it was delighted about the recommendation for more midwife-led care.
Its chief executive, Belinda Phipps, described the report as "food for thought".
She said: "We welcome the focus on skills mix but we would warn against any changes driven by lack - either of money or midwives."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12650719
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