Midwives back unannounced inspections at Scots maternity units

Carrie O’Donnell with son Oliver, the ‘miracle’ baby she almost lost.

Midwives and campaigners have welcomed a move to hold unannounced inspections after The Sunday Post revealed the heartbreaking toll of the staffing crisis at maternity units across the country.

But MSPs say they are so concerned they still want to hear the experiences of midwives and the affected families at a round-table meeting in Parliament.

Last Sunday we revealed that 131 families had suffered devastating baby deaths and catastrophic injuries to infants and mothers at maternity units across Scotland in recent years.

Within hours of our expose, watchdog Healthcare Improvement Scotland said unannounced inspections would take place.

MSPs to listen to concerns

Now Scottish Conservative Social Justice Shadow Minister Miles Briggs and Scottish Labour’s women’s health campaigner, Monica Lennon, are calling on all-party MSPs to attend a round-table meeting in Parliament next month to listen to midwives’ worries over staffing and training, and hear from mothers who have experienced loss and injuries.

Briggs said: “It was telling that the NHS watchdog came out within hours of the Sunday Post expose to say it will carry out unannounced inspections in maternity wards across the country. It’s clear the evidence from mothers and midwives hit a nerve.

“The Scottish Government was given plenty of evidence of the concern the Royal College of Midwives have around inadequate staffing levels, training and resources but, despite that, the response from ministers has been clearly inadequate.

“The heartbreaking stories all MSPs have been hearing from families who have suffered loss and injuries make the standard of care being given in our maternity wards an issue of deep concern for all parties, and we will be pressing forward with plans to work together to make a difference.

“I personally know of families who have said they won’t have more children because of trauma they experienced in maternity. This is clearly unacceptable, and we want to hear those experiences first hand when we convene our round-table meeting in Parliament, hopefully next month.”

Lennon said: “We welcome the news that unannounced inspections will now be held in maternity wards. The Sunday Post must be congratulated for holding the government to task on this.

“It is quite clear there have been growing concerns from midwives and mothers who have experienced traumatic births and baby losses, but the government is taking far too long to respond to ensure maternity wards are as safe as they can be.

“I’m eager to hear from mothers and midwives and expect this will be an issue all parties will wish to take up with the government.”

‘We need politicians to hear what mothers are facing’

Mothers like Carrie O’Donnell have pledged to meet MSPs personally, and they are urging others to come forward to tell of their experiences.

Carrie, 35, from Maybole, Ayrshire, was repeatedly sent home from Crosshouse Hospital and almost lost her “miracle” baby son, Oliver, due to the potentially fatal condition placental abruption. She said: “We need politicians to hear what mothers are facing when they go into a maternity ward.

“If I hadn’t accessed a private scan after being sent home, which showed the danger both my baby and I were in, I believe I would have lost Oliver.

“Unless MSPs listen to us and see for themselves what is really happening on Scotland’s maternity wards, we don’t believe there will be the changes needed to ensure tragedies and near-misses are a thing of the past.”

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Midwives say they also want to raise their concerns over staffing and training directly with MSPs.

Jaki Lambert, director of the Royal College of Midwives in Scotland, welcomed news of the inspections that will be carried out.

She said: “I am cautiously optimistic inspections will support our members and help to shine a light on the challenges they face. We now await the development of clear standards that will support maternity services to provide assurances regarding the care they provide.

“We must also ensure that the inspections will not be used as a tool to undermine an already challenged and under-resourced workforce.

“Midwives and maternity care assistants work hard every day to support and work with families at such an important time in their lives, but they can only do that with the right resources, leadership and culture to support them.”