£700 'to insure each NHS birth'
The NHS spends a fifth of its maternity services funding on insurance against malpractice, according to a report by the National Audit Office. The £482m figure equates to £700 for each natural birth.
Pregnant women turned away from maternity wards
Some maternity wards were forced to turn away patients for at least half a day because of a lack of space or a shortage of midwives, a damning report into pregnancy care on the NHS has revealed.
Data from the National Audit Office found:
- An extra 2,300 midwives were needed on the NHS last year.
- There was a failure to meet the levels of consultant presence recommended by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, on over half of maternity units.
- Between April and September 2012, over a quarter, 28%, of maternity units had to close their door for at least half a day.
- Of these 11% closed for the equivalent of a fortnight or more.
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