HC Deb 28 April 1998 vol 311 c116W
28. Audrey Wise

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the implementation of "Changing Childbirth"; and what plans he has for the future of the pilot schemes(a) at Hammersmith/Queen Charlotte's and (b) elsewhere. [38702]

Mr. Boateng

Woman-centred maternity care is an important principle of service planning in the National Health Service. "Changing Childbirth" has promoted multidisciplinary co-operation among professionals and encouraged the involvement of users in shaping maternity services. The shift of focus towards outcomes for users of services, as emphasised in our White Paper "The New NHS", will ensure that the ethos of "Changing Childbirth" is maintained.

The midwifery pilot scheme at Hammersmith, Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospitals is being reviewed by Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow Health Authority and the Hammersmith Hospital National Health Service Trust as part of a wider review of maternity services. There were a large number of local maternity initiatives resulting from "Changing Childbirth". We do not have details of those which were not centrally funded. We will be publishing a report within the next few months which summarises the "Changing Childbirth" development projects funded by the Department.