PAC warns of midwife shortage

31 Jan 14
There is a shortfall of 2,300 midwives in England and the funding available to provide maternity services across the country may not be sufficient to provide high-quality and safe care, MPs have warned today

By Richard Johnstone | 31 January 2014

There is a shortfall of 2,300 midwives in England and the funding available to provide maternity services across the country may not be sufficient to provide high-quality and safe care, MPs have warned today.

In a report examining the Department of Health’s Maternity matters strategy, the Public Accounts Committee found that £2.6bn was spent on services in 2012/13. The department is ultimately responsible for securing value for money from this spending, although services have been commissioned by clinical commissioning groups, overseen by NHS England, since April 2013.

The PAC concluded there was confusion over the DoH’s current policy for maternity services in both what it intended to achieve and who is accountable for delivery. 

Clear objectives and accountabilities in the health service’s devolved delivery chain were crucial, but stakeholders were confused about maternity policy aims. 

It was also unclear how commissioners were being held to account at a local level, the Maternity services in England report stated. Over a quarter of trusts had not received a simple written service specification with their commissioner last year.

In addition, the government had not demonstrated whether current maternity services were affordable, and the committee warned that existing funding might not be enough to employ the number of midwives and consultants needed to provide quality services. 

PAC chair Margaret Hodge said the vast majority of women who use NHS services to have their babies have good experiences, but outcomes and performance could still be much better. 

‘Despite an overall increase in the number of midwives there is still a shortage of 2,300 that are required to meet current birth rates – a truly worrying figure,’ she added.

‘What’s more, the Department of Health and NHS England struggled to tell my committee who is accountable for ensuring something as fundamental as whether the NHS has enough midwives.

‘As things stand there is evidence that many maternity services are running at a loss, or at best breaking even, and that the available funding may be insufficient for trusts to employ enough midwives and consultants to provide high quality, safe care.’

Responding to the report, health and maternity minister Dr Dan Poulter said the NHS remained one of the safest places in the world to give birth.

‘We have reversed the historic decline in midwife numbers,’ he added. ‘There are now 1,500 more working in our NHS and we have a record 5,000 in training. The number of consultants working on maternity wards has gone up too.

‘But of course there is always much more to do. We are investing significantly in improvements to maternity services right across the country so women have more choice and a better environment when giving birth.’

Spacer

CIPFA logo

PF Jobsite logo

Did you enjoy this article?

AddToAny

Top