A new Maternity and Neonatal Partnership will be established to
drive forward improvements in maternity care, Health Minister
has announced.
The Minister was responding to the publication today of an
independent review of midwifery services, commissioned by the
Department of Health.
The review by Professor Mary Renfrew - Enabling Safe Quality
Midwifery Services and Care in Northern Ireland - makes a
series of recommendations to transform services across all
settings and ensure better outcomes and experiences for women,
babies and families.
https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/news/radical-system-wide-change-needed-maternity-services
The Minister said: “I am very grateful to Professor Renfrew for
this comprehensive and timely report. My Department is committed
to continuing a major programme of work on improving maternity
and neonatal safety across Northern Ireland. The commissioning of
this review has formed an important part of that work and its
publication today is a significant staging post on the path to
transformed services.
“I spoke with Professor Renfrew yesterday and we agreed
that Northern Ireland has a genuine opportunity to be a real
leader in maternity care and to deliver positive whole system
reform.
“The new Maternity and Neonatal Partnership when established will
be tasked with implementing a consolidated regional action plan
including the overseeing of action on recommendations from
Professor Renfrew. This will only be properly effective through a
multi-disciplinary approach that keeps women and babies at the
centre of everything we do.
“Maternity services in NI have undoubtedly been under
intense pressure, not least in relation to staffing. The same,
unfortunately, can be said for services right across health and
social care. I want to make very clear that improving maternity
and neonatal services is an immediate area of focus for my
Department and for me personally.
“Professor Renfrew has found both serious weaknesses and
real strengths in the current provision of midwifery and wider
maternity care for mothers and their babies. We need to both
build on these strengths and systematically address the
weaknesses.
“This report has highlighted traumatic experiences faced by
some women, which I acknowledge and deeply regret. It also
underlines the pressures on midwives and wider clinical teams
within maternity and neonatal services.
“There is a clear message that all of us involved in the
health service must listen to women. I am listening and I agree
that improvement is needed. Childbirth is a hugely significant
life event for women, babies and their families and it is
essential that they are provided with safe, respectful, kind,
evidence-informed, multidisciplinary, individualised care across
the continuum of care in all settings.”
The Minister added: “Maternity care can make an important
contribution to reducing health inequalities and improving infant
development through early identification of needs and timely
intervention. Its importance cannot be overstated.
“I am determined to ensure all midwifery services and care
in Northern Ireland are safe, respectful, and compassionate where
women and their families feel heard, valued and supported.”
The Health Minister detailed his response
to Professor Renfrew's report in a statement
to the Assembly today.
