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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Women to get childbirth choices | Women to get childbirth choices |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Women in England are to be given a choice of where they give birth, under plans due to be unveiled by ministers. | Women in England are to be given a choice of where they give birth, under plans due to be unveiled by ministers. |
| From 2009, expectant mothers will be able to choose whether they go to hospital, a midwife-led unit or stay at home to have their children delivered. | From 2009, expectant mothers will be able to choose whether they go to hospital, a midwife-led unit or stay at home to have their children delivered. |
| Women will also be guaranteed a named midwife to care for them throughout their pregnancy. | Women will also be guaranteed a named midwife to care for them throughout their pregnancy. |
| Midwives said more cash is needed to fulfil the promises, which were first outlined in Labour's manifesto in 2005. | Midwives said more cash is needed to fulfil the promises, which were first outlined in Labour's manifesto in 2005. |
| If these goals are going to be achieved we are going to need more money and midwives Royal College of Midwives spokesman 'I had to pay for home birth' | If these goals are going to be achieved we are going to need more money and midwives Royal College of Midwives spokesman 'I had to pay for home birth' |
| There are currently 19,000 midwives working in the NHS, but the Royal College of Midwives says another 3,000 are needed over the next five years to fulfil the promises. | There are currently 19,000 midwives working in the NHS, but the Royal College of Midwives says another 3,000 are needed over the next five years to fulfil the promises. |
| Midwives complain that they often find themselves caring for more than one woman in labour as hospitals have cut back on services. | Midwives complain that they often find themselves caring for more than one woman in labour as hospitals have cut back on services. |
| A recent survey by the RCM found that NHS trusts have lost staff, introduced recruitment freezes and cut training budgets. | A recent survey by the RCM found that NHS trusts have lost staff, introduced recruitment freezes and cut training budgets. |
| One trainee in the north of England told the BBC: "Morale among students is really low. We don't know if we will get jobs and we can see those who have are really stressed and overworked." | One trainee in the north of England told the BBC: "Morale among students is really low. We don't know if we will get jobs and we can see those who have are really stressed and overworked." |
| But the government has dismissed maternity care has got worse. The Department of Health said the midwife workforce had increased by a tenth since 1997 and there were 44% more students in training. | But the government has dismissed maternity care has got worse. The Department of Health said the midwife workforce had increased by a tenth since 1997 and there were 44% more students in training. |
| Choice | Choice |
| The government is looking to introduce greater choice in maternity care as part of its drive to have more "personalised health services". Patients are already given a choice of hospital for non-emergency surgery. | The government is looking to introduce greater choice in maternity care as part of its drive to have more "personalised health services". Patients are already given a choice of hospital for non-emergency surgery. |
| Only 2% of the 600,000 births a year take place at home and research by the RCM has shown that only one in five women is given the option of birth in the first place. | |
| Ministers are also looking to make mothers-to-be more comfortable by giving them a named midwife as a point of contact through pregnancy. | Ministers are also looking to make mothers-to-be more comfortable by giving them a named midwife as a point of contact through pregnancy. |
| And they will be invited to meet the team of midwives and doctors ahead of the birth so a "familiar face" is there during the delivery. | And they will be invited to meet the team of midwives and doctors ahead of the birth so a "familiar face" is there during the delivery. |
| But a RCM spokesman said: "If these goals are going to be achieved, we are going to need more money and midwives. | But a RCM spokesman said: "If these goals are going to be achieved, we are going to need more money and midwives. |
| "In recent years the proportion of the NHS budget spent on maternity has been declining and that needs to be reversed." | "In recent years the proportion of the NHS budget spent on maternity has been declining and that needs to be reversed." |