Released on: 16 November 2022
In response to a growing crisis in maternity staffing, Angela McConville, Chief Executive, NCT, said:
“Staffing shortages are at the heart of the challenges facing the UK’s maternity services.
“Maternity services across the country are understaffed, overstretched and letting families down. Staffing shortages contribute to errors, oversights and at their worst, catastrophic consequences.
“We know that systematic staff shortages and underfunding also have a negative impact on many hardworking, compassionate individuals within the NHS who are committed to supporting families.
“Urgent action is needed to support staff to deliver high-quality, safe and personalised maternity care and the health and wellbeing of staff must also be prioritised.
“We stand in solidarity with midwives, as voices are raised to bring their situation to the attention of politicians and policymakers.
“We support the March With Midwives calls for parents and maternity staff to be listened to, for funding for maternity staffing and improved maternity care. We also agree that policymakers should reduce the demands on maternity staff so that they can concentrate on supporting families in their care.
“But as midwives across the country prepare to vote on industrial action, our first concern is for the wellbeing of pregnant women, new parents, partners and their babies. Parents will need reassurance that strike action will not impact their safety or care.”
