§ Mrs. Wiseasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is her policy towards the current use of induction for labour.
§ Dr. OwenI have now received the report of the small team of officials from my Department who undertook a series of visits to maternity hospitals in order to gain an impression of current practice in this field. It was not intended that this should be regarded as a full survey in the scientific sense. The small number of hospitals visited, their selection and the nature of the visits precluded this, but it was possible to obtain some indication of the way in which induction is used and the attitudes and opinions of patients and staff towards it. I have also received the views of the statutory advisory committees on it. The report says that no evidence was received by those undertaking the visits of a widespread use of these techniques for the convenience of staff. It does, however, state that there is a need for greater discussion between hospital staff and mothers of the proposed use of induction and other modern obstetric techniques. It also suggests that the views which have been expressed may166W reflect underlying dissatisfaction of some mothers because their emotional and psychological expectations of childbirth are not being fully met.
These conclusions have been generally welcomed by the statutory advisory committees and my Department will be discussing these conclusions and the way in which improvements might be achieved with the professional bodies concerned. I hope also to receive further information next year from a full and scientific survey into attitudes to childbirth which I have commissioned from the Institute of Social Studies in Medical Care which should assist in deciding future action.