Are maternity wards an anachronism in the modern NHS?

[speedymama]

In a recent meeting that I attend in my capacity as a Non-Executive Director for a NHS Trust, I sat agog as I listened to a male accountant's declaration that pregnant women are not sick and should not have their own specialist wards!

The other women and I just gave him dagger stares.

So, are parturient women over-indulged by having their own wards? I think not

[appledumpling]

So this accountant would be quite happy to be on a surgical ward with a woman in the bed next door to him in labour?

I had a homebirth but if I were to be in hospital another time I would want it to be in a place where my baby and I were in safe hands, where I could have some semblance of privacy and where trained staff were available i.e. a maternity ward.

[StealthPolarBear]

I agree that in a normal low risk pregnancy they're not sick and in fact I got a bit tired of being treated as though I was. But pregnancy and childbirth is still a healthcare issue!

[ScottishMummy]

HAHA i love those meetings were clinical staff (eg the people who actually do the job) interface with the Button monkey bean counters (eg people who have never set foot ina clinical environment are medically or clinically untrained but blah blah about such subjects as if they know)

what next no paediatric ward
or bunk beds when over crowded
staff on roller blades to go faster

[lulumama]

not sure why this is in allergies.... !!


anyway, pregnancy and birth is not a sickness, or a condition that needs treating, but certainly women who are pregnant, at times, need hospital care. women post birth need hospital care ( if they give birth in hospital) women who lose their babies, have PPH, extensive tearing, other complications of pregnancy and birth, should be on a ward with specialist nurses IE midwives and specialist doctors IE obstetricians and specialist baby doctors IE peadiatricians

surely it is better for the hopsital that those women and babies are in one place within the hospital ?

what a load of crapola

[ScottishMummy]

on a serious note, pregnancy is not in itself an illness it is a condition that does requires monitoring and intervention by staff clinically trained to do so, and should the eventuality for intervention/assistance arise there is a critical mass of staff and experience to call upon

all clinical specialities are grrouped accordingly that the staff/expertise and ecquipment are avial should they be needed. so yes of course obs and gynae are grouped together, and require specialist ward

a cardiologist is a highly trained skilled professioanal who specialises in cardio-thoracic but i would not expect him to deliver my baby

[tori32]

Thats ridiculous! Anyway I am sure the complaints would come flooding in when women started delivering babies on a male urology ward!!! Anyway, its not about the fact that pregnancy isn't an illness, it isn't, but when things go wrong women need to be near a dedicated theatre for maternity to prevent HAI to mothers and babies. With the amount of MRSA and Chlostridium difficile on normal wards it poses a huge threat to newborns.

[speedymama]

Oops, I thought I had clicked health! Maybe I have an allergic reaction to accountants!

[ScottishMummy]

the staffing and ecquipment needs in obs and gynae are so specific that you can not disperse around a DGH, far from saving money it would increase cost as no dedicated unit, dispersed patients, staff traipsing about, privacy, contraindications

total button monkey thinking - work with them too and frankly i might as well talk to the pot plants as try get sense out of them

health care is not a reductionist formula - it is si damn complex because it involves individuals

[speedymama]

I know SM. Fortunately the other NEDS understand this too. Unfortunately, accountants just see pound signs and think by deleting x you can save ££££.

[dissle]

oh yes, i would have no objections to giving birth in a bed next to an 80 year old lady riddled with MRSA who has had a stroke and is faecally incontinent every hour.
while the confused lady in the bed across from me exposes herself to my mother as she is sitting visiting me and my new baby.

no objections at all.

is that their plan, to lump all the women together on one ward?

THEY ALL WANT SHOOTING WITH SHIT THE FUCKWITS. jeez

[speedymama]

I think it is fair to say that he had not considered the implications or mechanics of this. He is also quite senior.

[expatinscotland]

The way women and children are hated in many Western societies is shocking.

[fedupwasherwoman]

A very senior NHS finance person (male) once said something absolutley moronic in a meeting I was attending and no-one contradicted him.

I think he had lost touch with the basic principles of accountancy let alone understanding anything clinical.

[3andnomore]

lol...and daggars was all you gave him...

saying that...I would have no problem in changing the whole Maternity service around a bit...in favour of Homebirths in low risk births, etc...but that is of course a whole different issue...