Midwifery 'yet to see pledged cash'

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In January, Health Secretary Alan Johnson pledged £330 million of extra money to Primary Care Trusts between 2008 and 2011 to improve maternity care and ensure the delivery of the Maternity Matters strategy, which aims to guarantee pregnant women choice and quality of care.

But the UK's top midwife said the plans for an overhaul of maternity services were in disarray because hospitals have not received the cash, according to the Guardian newspaper.

Royal College of Midwives general secretary Professor Cathy Warwick said some midwifery departments have not received their share of the cash from PCTs, meaning they cannot hire the midwives needed to ensure every woman gets the care promised.

Prof Warwick told the paper: "It looks to us like in many parts of the country the money has gone to PCTs but not been released to heads of midwifery.

"On the very busy labour wards that are struggling to cope with the rising birth rate, midwives are having to look after sometimes two or three women in labour and that's when the woman ends up being left alone.

"That's not only unacceptable, it's not safe."

The Government's Maternity Matters strategy promises that by the end of next year every woman will receive one-on-one support from a midwife throughout her labour.

Prof Warwick said the cash shortage, lack of midwives and rising birth rate would lead to targets being delayed by at least two years.

According to the Department of Health, Maternity Matters was a "priority next year" and PCTs would "shortly be firming up their plans for 2009-10".