GIDLEY TAKES GOVERNMENT TO TASK OVER MATERNITY SERVICES

12.00.00am GMT Thu 31st Jan 2008

Local MP and Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Minister Sandra Gidley hit out yesterday at the government as Minister Ann Keen refused to face up to a midwifery crisis in a debate in Parliament.

Sandra, who spoke in the debate for the Liberal Democrats, drew the attention of the Minister to the lack of midwife cover in many hospitals and the consequential increase in caesarean sections.

Commenting after the debate in Westminster Hall, Mrs. Gidley said:

"No one will ever believe the Government can deliver the 'promised land' of choice for all mothers. Ministers actually deny they have responsibilities for monitoring what is happening on the front-line, so how can they keep producing policy statements like confetti?

"If they want us to believe their promise that the desirable luxury of choice will be available for all expectant mothers in two years, they need to show that existing core services are safe and functioning properly."

Ms. Keen claimed that the UK is one of the safest countries in the world in which to give birth. However a Government response to a parliamentary question 19th March 2007 stated: "It is difficult to make international comparisons on perinatal mortality because of different definitions used for compiling perinatal mortality statistics."

The debate also came as reports revealed that the cost to the NHS of providing maternity services for foreign-born mothers has risen to more than £350 million a year.

"This situation is deeply worrying. It is essential that every expectant mother has access to reliable and safe maternity facilities" added Sandra.

"The Government is happy to reap the economic benefits of migrant workers but is not willing to provide capacity to cope with the extra pressure that they bring to the NHS. They cannot have it both ways.

"Ministers need to stop burying their heads in the sand and launch a national review of capacity in maternity services."

ENDS