A former NHS midwife couldn’t handle the possibility of poor care being provided, so quit her job instead.
According to information shared in a recent BBC article, the ex-midwife stated that patients were kept safe, but only ‘by the skin of their teeth’ due to excessive staff shortages. She also believed that improvements were unlikely to happen in the near future.
According to statistics, full-time midwife posts have increased by seven per cent in the last ten years, as well as an increase in the overall general NHS workforce of 34%.
In spite of this, there are reportedly shortages of roughly 2,500 midwives in the country, with maternity and birthing units experiencing difficulty in maintaining staffing levels. Statistics reported by the BBC in November revealed that 67% of the 178 maternity units in England were failing to consistently meet safety standards.
According to Care Quality Commission (CQC) figures, the worst safety ratings belonged to maternity units when compared to other hospital services, and since these were recorded there has been a further decline.
New data shown in the BBC report highlights that 7/10 UK maternity units are ‘not always safe.’
Though births are down, the statistics show that birthing itself is becoming more complex. A decade ago, 13% of deliveries were caesarean sections, but in the current day that number has grown to around 23%.
Gill Walton, chief executive of the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), said:
“What we’re asking for is not to be at the back of the queue, not to be overlooked,”
“We do need more midwives, and we need to keep the ones we’ve got. Being a midwife is probably one of the best professions in the world. And we really need to look after them.”
What negligence issues can arise during the labour and maternity phase?
- Failure to identify the progression of labour
- Mismanagement of maternal conditions, eg: high blood pressure and pre-eclampsia
- Decisions about the mode and timing of delivery, such as caesarian sections.
- Mismanagement of infection like Group B Strep
- Surgical errors
- Retained Placenta, which can lead to infection etc.
If you feel you have suffered from medical negligence in relation to birthing injuries, contact our team.
Further reading
For more information about birthing injuries, read this resource.
How do I get in touch?
Contact our team today on 0113 306 9039, and we will advise you on whether or not your case is likely to succeed.
