Government 'Failing To Meet Midwife Pledge'

A Sky News survey has suggested the Government is failing in its pledge that pregnant women will have consistent care from a single midwife during labour.

Out of more than 1,400 women who responded, 46% said they had been cared for by several midwives during childbirth.

Of those, 21% were seen by a second midwife despite there being no shift change.

The Department of Health has repeatedly promised that women will receive one-to-one care from a midwife during labour.

Professor Cathy Warwick, head of the Royal College of Midwives, said ministers must speed up the introduction of 5,000 new midwives.

"The number of midwives that we have seen come into the workforce has not matched the rising birth rate," she said.

"What this government needs to do is to keep ensuring there are enough jobs for midwives after they have trained.

"We will then be able to say this government has met its pledge. At the moment, it hasn't done this."

With the Duchess of Cambridge due to give birth at the private Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital, London, Sky News invited women to tell their experiences of having a baby under NHS care.

Of the women who responded to the survey, 40% who said they were cared for by several midwifes felt that staff changes had made their childbirth more difficult.

Some of the new mothers sent Sky News videos in which they described their experiences.

Sarah Matthew gave birth to Archie several weeks early. While he got excellent care in the neonatal unit, her experience on the maternity ward was "mixed at best".

"I was in a lot of pain a couple of days after the emergency (Caesarean) section but was ignored. I was told it was my pain threshold and to get on with it.

"They finally gave me antibiotics and decided I had an infection."

The Department of Health outlines its vision for childbirth in a document called Midwifery 2000.

As well as repeating the one-to-one pledge during labour, it said women should receive the majority of their care during pregnancy from the same midwife.

But the Sky News survey, which was hosted on the Sky News website and iPad app, suggested 83% of women who responded had not met their midwife before they went into labour.

The results also indicated that women were pleased with their care overall.

More than 74% were positive about their experience, while just 13% were unhappy.

Gillian Madira said her labour with Annabella had been excellent.

"The midwife stayed with me from the time I got there," she said.

"She was my dedicated midwife right up until I delivered at 8 o'clock at night.

"Luckily that was just before her shift finished, so I got to see the same midwife the whole way through."

Health minister Dr Dan Poulter said some women need several midwives involved in their care because they have long or complex labours.

But he added: "It's clearly the best thing to do to make sure that women have personalised care where possible from one midwife.

"From your survey, 90% felt that was the case. That's a good thing.

"But there is more that needs to be done. That's why we need to make sure that the 5,000 midwives in training go out and work in the NHS."