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12/11/2014
The research, published by the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), has revealed a £340m funding gap exists between what maternity services receive and what it actually costs to run the services.
As a result, the RCM has said it fears this funding shortfall is causing the delivery of a sub-standard service unless additional funds can be found elsewhere.
It added that the shortage is a "major driver" regarding problems in postnatal care. The RCM is now calling for an urgent review of maternity funding to ensure that services are properly equipped to help parents and babies.
Elsewhere, the report revealed:
• Trusts are having to spend more on maternity services than commissioners are paying them for. In 2012/13, trusts spent approximately £340m more on maternity than commissioners funded them for.
• Just 40% of midwives believe they have sufficient time to support women's postnatal emotional wellbeing, despite the fact that 60% of new mothers experience depression or anxiety.
• Only 30% of midwives believe that new mothers are rarely – or never – given enough advice to spot potentially life-threatening signs and symptoms in the 24 hours after birth.
• 70% of midwives thought they had 'adequate' time to support breastfeeding, while more than 40% of new mothers thought that they were not given enough information about breastfeeding.
• A fifth of mothers discussed their postnatal care plan with a member of their maternity team, while just 35% of midwives and MSWs though that there was usually time to do so.
Cathy Warwick, Chief Executive of the Royal College of Midwives, said: "It's shocking that funding for maternity has not increased to keep pace with the baby boom and the rising demands on services.
"As a result services are stretched and midwives don't have the time to support women in the crucial period after a baby is born. These moments are some of the most precious in a women's life, and are vital in ensuring the continuing and long term health of the mother and baby.
"While we all know the financial strain the country is under, it is unacceptable that standards are allowed to fall as a result. The costs of keeping services running is being pushed onto trusts, midwives and other NHS staff.
"Midwives and maternity support workers have already contributed so much – they are being paid less in real terms, and they skip breaks and work overtime unpaid."
"The Government must urgently review the level of funding for maternity services, commit to ending staffing shortages and invest in genuine improvements that will make the service more efficient, more effective in the long-term and deliver the level of postnatal care that women and babies need," she concluded.
(JP/IT)
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Lack Of Funding For New Mums - RCM
A new report has revealed there is a "chronic" lack of funding of support for new mothers in Britain.The research, published by the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), has revealed a £340m funding gap exists between what maternity services receive and what it actually costs to run the services.
As a result, the RCM has said it fears this funding shortfall is causing the delivery of a sub-standard service unless additional funds can be found elsewhere.
It added that the shortage is a "major driver" regarding problems in postnatal care. The RCM is now calling for an urgent review of maternity funding to ensure that services are properly equipped to help parents and babies.
Elsewhere, the report revealed:
• Trusts are having to spend more on maternity services than commissioners are paying them for. In 2012/13, trusts spent approximately £340m more on maternity than commissioners funded them for.
• Just 40% of midwives believe they have sufficient time to support women's postnatal emotional wellbeing, despite the fact that 60% of new mothers experience depression or anxiety.
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• Only 30% of midwives believe that new mothers are rarely – or never – given enough advice to spot potentially life-threatening signs and symptoms in the 24 hours after birth.
• 70% of midwives thought they had 'adequate' time to support breastfeeding, while more than 40% of new mothers thought that they were not given enough information about breastfeeding.
• A fifth of mothers discussed their postnatal care plan with a member of their maternity team, while just 35% of midwives and MSWs though that there was usually time to do so.
Cathy Warwick, Chief Executive of the Royal College of Midwives, said: "It's shocking that funding for maternity has not increased to keep pace with the baby boom and the rising demands on services.
"As a result services are stretched and midwives don't have the time to support women in the crucial period after a baby is born. These moments are some of the most precious in a women's life, and are vital in ensuring the continuing and long term health of the mother and baby.
"While we all know the financial strain the country is under, it is unacceptable that standards are allowed to fall as a result. The costs of keeping services running is being pushed onto trusts, midwives and other NHS staff.
"Midwives and maternity support workers have already contributed so much – they are being paid less in real terms, and they skip breaks and work overtime unpaid."
"The Government must urgently review the level of funding for maternity services, commit to ending staffing shortages and invest in genuine improvements that will make the service more efficient, more effective in the long-term and deliver the level of postnatal care that women and babies need," she concluded.
(JP/IT)
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