AIBU to tell you about this?

[jellybe]

Maternity services are at breaking point and women and babies are unsafe. Midwives are on their knees and the government seems to be ignoring the issue.
AIBU to ask you to get involved with #MarchWithMidives ?

What is the solution then, what are they asking for? Saying something is bad is no good without demanding a solution

There is a manifesto hang on I'll find the press release for the movement.

Sorry don't know to upload a file so have screen shot it.

It’s not a very good advert, it doesn’t tell you anything.

I think the idea is to get people to look at the hashtag.

The press release says:

Midwives in the UK are leaving their profession. Maternity units are closing their doors and the safety of birth in the UK is in crisis as infant and maternal morbidity and mortality are on the rise.
The UK government need to implement urgent crisis management and resources. Government promises are not being kept and the All Party Parliamentary Group for Maternity need to take responsibility for their silence and for immediate action.
Giving birth in the UK, a high-income country, is becoming critically unsafe. This is unacceptable. Where women and babies are not well, their families, communities and countries become unwell. This crisis impacts every level of society.
The Crisis:
● Parents are reporting bullying and coercion. Threats are used to ensure compliance. Unnecessary medical interventions are at epidemic levels.
Conversely, concerns are being missed and intervention made too late - much of this due to staffing problems.
● 2021 has seen maternity services become critically unsafe for staff and users.
● Black women have a 4 x higher risk and Asian women a 2 x higher risk of dying in pregnancy
than white women and are more likely to die during the childbearing year 1.
● Women living in the most deprived areas are almost three times more likely to die than those
who live in the most affluent areas.
● A recent RCM survey of midwives found 60% of staff are thinking of leaving the profession.
● For every 30 newly qualified midwives, 29 are leaving.2
● Bullying and toxic hierarchical management systems are stifling innovation, silencing
whistleblowing and causing psychological harm.
● Top-down pressures that include fear of disciplinary or legal action result in a lack of midwifery
autonomy and an erosion of the traditional role of the midwife.
● Midwifery skills are being lost and the profession is being eroded.
● UK Breastfeeding rates are drastically low and continue to fall3.
Government promises are not being kept. The Better Births Report is over 5 years old and continuity of carer/Best Start teams cannot be effectively implemented due to staffing issues and lack of

funding. Attempts at continuity are, in many instances, adding to the pressures on staff. The 2019 Standards for Proficiency5 must be adhered to as a priority.
At 2pm on 21st November 2021 groups of local supporters will gather in every town with a maternity unit in the UK to ask the government to:
● LISTENtoallstaffandserviceusersandtheiradvocates
● FUNDemergencyretentionofstaff
● ENABLEallqualifiedmidwiveswhoarewillingtoworkandsupportstudentsto
enter training and finish their courses
● REDUCEthedemandsonstaff
References:

1. MBRRACE UK Maternal Report 2020 https://www.npeu.ox.ac.uk/assets/downloads/mbrrace-uk/reports/maternal-report-2020/MBRRACE-UKMaternall_ Report2020-LaySummary_v10.pdf
2. RCM warns of midwife exodus as maternity staffing crisis grows https://www.rcm.org.uk/media-releases/2021/september/rcm-warns-of-midwife-exodus-as-maternity-staffing-crisi s-grows/
3. Unicef Baby Friendly Insights into UK Breast Feeding https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/about/breastfeeding-in-the-uk/
4. England Better Births National Maternity Review https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/national-maternity-review-report.pdf
5. Nursing and Midwifery Council Standards of Proficiency https://www.nmc.org.uk/globalassets/sitedocuments/standards/standards-of-proficiency-for-midwives.pdf

Yeah I read it but I still don’t know what it means.
●LISTENtoallstaffandserviceusersandtheiradvocates
Yeah I’m ok with listening.
● FUNDemergencyretentionofstaff
What does this mean? Does this mean midwives can threaten to leave and get paid as much as they like because that’s pretty unsustainable?
● ENABLEallqualifiedmidwiveswhoarewillingtoworkandsupportstudentsto
enter training and finish their courses
Yeah again I don’t know what this means. Funding for courses? I’m not anti that exactly but i would think it should be in line with other HCPs.
● REDUCEthedemandsonstaff
Yes but how?

This is my problem with a lot of protests and things. I need to be very clear what they are asking for!

The explanation is in the manifesto.

There will be vigils in many towns/cities.

I’ll be there.

That's great to hear @CharlottesWebinar. After looking at the manifesto and the hashtag and what midwives are saying I think I'm going too.