New Worker Letter - 16/05/14
(This letter was published in the New Worker Newspaper of the New Communist Party (NCP) dated the 16.5.2014 - Page 8)
Dear New Worker Newspaper
It is shocking that in a wealthy and developed country, we have such a high infant mortality rate. As mentioned in the article (Britain’s High Infant Mortality, New Worker 9.5.14, Page 9), a key aspect for this is due to the shortage of doctors and midwives on the wards. The midwife shortage is an ongoing problem in the UK, and even though the Department of Health has increased the number of midwives to be trained to accommodate the ‘baby boom’, this is ineffectual as the NHS does not have to increase the number of jobs available for midwives once they have qualified. In turn, maternity services suffer, especially for those women who are at an important junction (and usually joyous occasion) of their lives. It is currently not uncommon for a midwife to be given more than one woman to look after on labour ward (with as many as three at one time), and having to juggle care so that they manage to be by each woman at the moment of birth itself. This NHS policy means that women are not receiving the one-to-one care that they need (or are legally entitled to), and that crucial indicators can be missed or have a delayed response. This danger can affect the outcome of the birth – leading to the increase in infant mortality and stillbirth. However, midwives and doctors themselves should not be blamed for this terrible increase, as they are working with the best that is available to them. It is the current system of vicious governmental cuts to the NHS that has caused this situation, and the only way to prevent a further rise in the infant mortality rate is to employ more midwives after they are qualified, so that each woman (and their baby) is given the care that they need. This means fully Socialising the NHS and pumping in the money that the UK – as one of the richest countries in the world – can easily afford outside of Tory rightwing propaganda.
Jade Chan
South London
Dear New Worker Newspaper
It is shocking that in a wealthy and developed country, we have such a high infant mortality rate. As mentioned in the article (Britain’s High Infant Mortality, New Worker 9.5.14, Page 9), a key aspect for this is due to the shortage of doctors and midwives on the wards. The midwife shortage is an ongoing problem in the UK, and even though the Department of Health has increased the number of midwives to be trained to accommodate the ‘baby boom’, this is ineffectual as the NHS does not have to increase the number of jobs available for midwives once they have qualified. In turn, maternity services suffer, especially for those women who are at an important junction (and usually joyous occasion) of their lives. It is currently not uncommon for a midwife to be given more than one woman to look after on labour ward (with as many as three at one time), and having to juggle care so that they manage to be by each woman at the moment of birth itself. This NHS policy means that women are not receiving the one-to-one care that they need (or are legally entitled to), and that crucial indicators can be missed or have a delayed response. This danger can affect the outcome of the birth – leading to the increase in infant mortality and stillbirth. However, midwives and doctors themselves should not be blamed for this terrible increase, as they are working with the best that is available to them. It is the current system of vicious governmental cuts to the NHS that has caused this situation, and the only way to prevent a further rise in the infant mortality rate is to employ more midwives after they are qualified, so that each woman (and their baby) is given the care that they need. This means fully Socialising the NHS and pumping in the money that the UK – as one of the richest countries in the world – can easily afford outside of Tory rightwing propaganda.
Jade Chan
South London