Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 7
7
Accepted
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Implement immediate recruitment and retention actions in maternity services for positive birthing experiences.
Recommendation
Maternity services in England and Wales are under unsustainable pressure. We welcome the commitments that the Government has made in response to the Ockenden report, whilst recognising that these changes will come too late for some mothers and babies. The Government must intervene with immediate action on recruitment and retention to relive pressure from the system and ensure positive birthing experiences for everyone, regardless of their racial or socioeconomic background.
Government Response Summary
The NHS is allocating £127 million to trusts to boost staffing numbers and improve leadership, training and working culture, funding an e-rostering tool, and investing in training for staff. They have also increased midwifery training places by 26% since 2017, launched a recruitment campaign, and provided financial support for childcare costs.
Paragraph Reference:
56
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
We recognise that maternity services are facing pressures and that there is more to do to ensure a positive birthing experience for everyone. That is why the NHS is committed to making maternity care safer, more personalised, and more equitable for women, babies, and families across England. Since the Ockenden Review was published, NHS England have been working with services across the country to put the recommendations into practice. This includes: • Allocating £127 million to NHS trusts to boost staffing numbers and improve leadership, training and working culture on NHS wards. • Funding the development of an e-rostering tool that will allow trusts to deploy staff more efficiently and effectively. • Investing in training for staff on how to deal with difficult situations and challenging behaviours. In addition, we have already taken a number of steps to improve the recruitment and retention of midwives, including: • Increasing the number of midwifery training places by 26% since 2017. • Launching a new national midwifery recruitment campaign. • Providing financial support to help midwives with childcare costs. We are confident that these measures will help to alleviate the pressures on maternity services and ensure that all women have access to safe, high-quality care.