Location, location, location

TAKE ACTION NOW! MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN 2 MINUTES

Background

Choice of place of birth is vital for all women in the UK.

In England, the Government has made a guarantee that all women should have the choice of where they give birth. The choices that should be available are:

• Home birth;
• Birth centre – either standalone or alongside;
• Obstetric unit in a hospital.

This guarantee, made in the Maternity Matters strategy, should be fulfilled by the end of 2009, but the NCT has evidence that this will not be met. Policy in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also supports choice. We commissioned research looking into the availability of choice throughout the UK, as we believe that choice is vital for women in all four countries. This research found that a staggeringly small percentage of women – only 4.2% – have access to the full range of options that should be available to them.

The NCT believes that choice of place of birth should be provided for across all four countries of the UK. We also believe that this should be provided locally with the provision of objective information and support from health professionals.

You can read the campaign report by downloading it from the link below. Also below is the research report the campaign report has been based on.

For more information about the choices available to you, and things you might want to think about when making this decision, visit our info centre.

What we are doing

We are campaigning to make sure that women have the information they need to make informed choices about their place of birth. We also need to ensure that the infrastructure is in place so that maternity units are available within reasonable journey times.

We are targeting trusts and boards within the NHS and health professionals’ bodies. We hope to work with these audiences to ensure that services are in place, and are sufficiently promoted, so that women have all three options available to them, and are provided with enough information to make their decision.

Read all the latest news on the campaign.

Take Action: Make a difference in two minutes

Your support and action is vital to the success of the campaign. We have set up some simple actions that you can take to build support in your area, inform your elected representative (AM, MLA, MP, MSP) of the situation, or to ask for action from your local NHS trust or board. This action will use the details you enter to generate an e-mail automatically, so shouldn't take more than two minutes to send both e-mails.

E-mail your elected representative so that s/he can support your local services and get involved with the campaign. ACT NOW!

Alternatively, e-mail your local trust or board, letting them know your concerns and making sure they are aware of the campaign. Use this opportunity to call upon them to ensure they have measures in place to guarantee that women have the choice of where to give birth. ACT NOW!

Local campaigning for choice

We can provide you with support to campaign locally for choice of place of birth. Have a look at our local campaigns section for guides on planning your campaign, working with various audiences, the media, and stuctures such as Health Overview Scrutiny Committees, which may be useful.

You may also find the following video useful. This was made by Nancy Robson, and it details her successful campaign for the development of a maternity unit in Moray. It could give you a few ideas for your own campaigning...

Got any questions?

Please visit our FAQ page and if you have any further questions please email campaigns@nct.org.uk.  

NB: The image used on page 24 is of a local campaigning action against temporary closures of maternity units. The Grange birth centre in Portsmouth is currently open.