§ Baroness Cumberlegeasked Her Majesty's Government:
Given their commitment to midwifery team work, what assurances they can give that midwives will be involved in the drawing up of clinical guidelines. [HL761]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathIt is sound professional practice to involve all healthcare professionals in the development of clinical guidelines. Health Service Circular 1998/999, relating to the recommendations from the lastReport of the Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths states, "Each unit must identify a lead professional to develop and regularly update local multidisciplinary guidelines for the management of obstetric problems". Midwives must therefore be involved in drawing up relevant clinical guidelines.
§ Baroness Cumberlegeasked Her Majesty's Government:
How their outline of health improvement programmes which reveal a substantive input from midwives and users will be implemented to enable the voice of midwives to be heard. [HL762]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathThe development of health improvement programmes is led by the health authority in partnership with the whole range of local interests, including those who provide local services for the National Health Service. This will include staff working in NHS trusts and primary care. Midwives will be encouraged to contribute on issues which impact on their work areas.
Baroness Curnberlegeasked Her Majesty's Government:
What they are doing to implement the principles of midwifery-led care as detailed in the report of the expert group Changing Childbirth. [HL763]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathThe Government are fully committed to the principles of high quality woman centred maternity care enshrined in theChanging Childbirth report—now largely embedded in mainstream practice.
A report highlighting the achievements and lessons learned from the Changing Childbirth initiative was published in August 1998 and widely promulgated to the National Health Service. Copies have been placed in the Library.
The Government have a wide-ranging programme of action in hand to secure further improvements in maternity services through their wider initiatives to 70WA modernise the National Health Service, improve public health and strengthen family life.