South's midwives to protest in day of action
March With Midwives vigils are taking place in several towns and cities in the region
Last updated 21st Nov 2021
Midwives across the South are set to take part in vigils on Sunday (November 21st), warning they're being driven out of the NHS by understaffing and fears they can’t deliver safe care.
Events will be held across the UK calling on the Government to take urgent measures to ease pressures on maternity services.
Among them will be ones in Poole, Winchester, Portsmouth and Chichester.
March with Midwives claim that 2021 has seen maternity services become unsafe for staff and users; as of July of this year, 41% of all maternity services are rated “inadequate” or “requires improvement” for safety.
There's concern too that almost 60 % of midwives across the country surveyed by the Royal College of Midwives say they are thinking of leaving.
It is not only Midwives marching today but parents and healthcare professionals too.
A petition urging the government to invest more money into maternity services to solve the midwife staffing shortage has over 89 thousand signatures.
March with Midwives’ steering group say:
“It is clear that maternity services in the UK are in crisis, giving birth in the UK; a high-income country, is becoming critically unsafe. This is unacceptable. Where we have women, birthing people and babies at risk; their families, communities and countries become sick. This is a genuine national emergency which impacts every level of society.
“We call on the UK government to implement urgent crisis management and resources. Government promises are not being kept and the All Party Parliamentary Group for Maternity must take responsibility for their silence and call for immediate action.“