EXPECTING mums in Coventry are avoiding problems associated with a chronic national shortage of midwives, a frontbench MP says.
Labour shadow health secretary made a visit to the maternity department at University Hospital in Coventry and praised its arrangements with the city’s universities relating to midwifery.
Heidi Alexander MP met staff and patients alongside Coventry’s new Coventry North east MP Colleen Fletcher.
Ms Alexander was shown the new Lucina birth centre – which provides many women with a relaxed, but supported, environment in which to give birth.
She said: “Rising demand and tight NHS budgets means hospitals across the country are facing a difficult winter and so it was good to learn how maternity staff in Coventry are striving to improve services.
“It was clear that strong relationships between the hospital and local universities have meant that the hospital hasn’t struggled to recruit midwives in the way some other hospitals have.
“I also had the chance to speak with some junior doctors who were keen to speak with me about the government’s proposed changes to their contracts.
“I assured them, as I did to their colleagues at the Junior Doctors Rally at the weekend, that I will be continuing to fight for a junior doctor contract that is safe for patients and fair for staff.”
Ms Fletcher said: “Despite cuts from government, it is testament to the hospital staff and Coventry and Warwick Universities that they are managing to consistently fill every midwife vacancy in the department.”
