RCM calls for greater investment in Welsh maternity services
on 20 November 2020 NHS Staff Maternity Services Midwifery Safety Covid-19 NHS Wales Wales RCM Wales Digital Maturity Specialist Midwives Specialist Mental Health Midwives
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has welcomed the progress in making maternity services in Wales safer and better but says there is still work to be done to ensure world-class maternity care. The RCM’s comments come as Healthcare Inspectorate Wales published the first phase of its National Review of Maternity Services this week.
Helen Rogers, Director for Wales at the Royal College of Midwives, said:
“It’s good to see the National Review of Maternity Services recognise that staff do an incredible job, often under extreme pressure. Services are making progress, but, if we want genuinely world-leading maternity care in Wales, there must be more investment. We need to see this in areas such as stopping smoking and mental health support for women during and after pregnancy, and in more and better use of technology. Ensuring consistent and good practice across all maternity services is also crucial and we need to find ways to make this happen. Care is also becoming more complex, placing greater demands on services and we need the right staff, with the right training, in the right place to ensure safe and high quality care for women throughout and beyond their pregnancy.”
The report comes in response to safety concerns within some Welsh maternity services. It sets out a number of recommendations to improve care in areas such as staffing, training, perinatal mental health, and maternity service cultures.
Helen Rogers added,
“Midwives, maternity support workers and their colleagues go to work every day to deliver the safest and highest quality care for women, and they were already under significant pressure even before the pandemic. This report tells us where services are now and where they need to go to deliver the safest and best possible care, and more investment must follow to make this possible.”
ENDS
To contact the RCM media office call 020 7312 3456 or email media@rcm.org.uk. Notes to Editors
The Healthcare Inspectorate Wales report can be read at https://hiw.org.uk/national-review-maternity-services-wales-finds-services-are-delivered-safe-and-effective-way-some.
The RCM is the only trade union and professional association dedicated to serving midwifery and the whole midwifery team. We provide workplace advice and support, professional and clinical guidance, and information, and learning opportunities with our broad range of events, conferences, and online resources. For more information visit the RCM website at https://www.rcm.org.uk/.