England is set to receive a substantial investment of nearly £35 million aimed at enhancing maternity safety, as announced in the Spring Budget. This comprehensive funding initiative spans
over the next three years and encompasses various measures to bolster maternity services and prioritize women's experiences to enhance care quality.
Key components of the investment include:
£9 million allocated for the nationwide rollout of the Reducing Brain Injury programme across maternity units in England. This initiative equips healthcare professionals with essential tools and training to minimize avoidable brain injuries during childbirth.
Investment in specialized training to ensure that the NHS workforce possesses the requisite skills to deliver ever-safer maternity care. This includes training an additional 6,000 clinical staff in neonatal resuscitation and nearly doubling the number of clinical staff receiving specialized training in obstetric medicine.
Expansion of the midwifery workforce through the creation of 160 new posts over three years, facilitating the growth of the maternity and neonatal workforce.
Funding to support the implementation of Maternity and Neonatal Voice Partnerships, aimed at enhancing the integration of women's experiences and perspectives into care delivery.
In anticipation of Mother's Day, Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins visited Cambridge University Hospital, engaging with health experts to discuss various women's health issues, including maternity care and breast cancer.
Atkins emphasized the government's commitment to ensuring maternal safety, stating, "I want every mother to feel safe when giving birth to their baby." She underscored the significance of this investment in advancing the Women's Health Strategy, aimed at streamlining healthcare delivery and prioritizing maternal well-being.
The investment aligns with the newly outlined priorities of the Women's Health Strategy for 2024, which include improving care for menstrual and gynaecological conditions, expanding access to women's health hubs, and addressing disparities to better support vulnerable women.
Minister for the Women's Health Strategy, Maria Caulfield, welcomed the funding, emphasizing its role in facilitating optimal care for expectant mothers and enhancing maternity safety. She highlighted the expansion of midwifery posts and the implementation of training programmes to prevent avoidable brain injuries during childbirth as significant components of the investment.
The initiative also underscores the government's commitment to action the recommendations of the Pregnancy Loss Review, exemplified by the recent launch of the Baby Loss Certificate Service. Additionally, Chief Midwifery Officer for England, Kate Brintworth, emphasized the importance of actively listening to women's experiences and ensuring workforce readiness to improve maternity safety. The investment is poised to advance maternity care quality and support the well-being of expectant mothers across England. Photo by Chmee2, Wikimedia commons.