Released on: 30 May 2023
Responding to the State of Maternity Services in Northern Ireland report, Angela McConville, Chief Executive at NCT, said:
“Maternity services in Northern Ireland are not designed to meet the needs of pregnant women today. I’m pleased to be representing NCT in Belfast to advocate for a new maternity and neonatal strategy which must place at its core, the recruitment and retention of midwives to deliver high-quality, personalised care.
“Women giving birth today are older and may be facing multiple health issues, which can impact the length and type of support they require. In the last decade, a significant rise in pregnancy-related concerns and higher rates of assisted birth, leading to longer hospital stays, calls for a strategy that meets these changing needs.
“It is encouraging to see a rise in newly qualified midwives, but this is outweighed by a concerning number leaving the profession each year. Midwives are exhausted because of their unacceptable workload and lack of support and as a result are leaving earlier than they intended. The new strategy must include a sustained focus on retaining current, experienced midwifery staff, whilst ensuring education and training for more student midwives.”
To read the full report, click here.
