NHS staff crisis sees Inverness home-birthing service suspended
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Inverness’s home-birthing service has been suspended amid an NHS Highland staffing crisis as there is a 56 per cent vacancy rate affecting midwifery teams in the city.
The health board has confirmed that it is “not always possible” to offer the service as solutions are sought on a case-by-case basis – including offering some expectant mothers the option to give birth at an already under pressure Dr Gray’s maternity unit in Elgin.
For months, mothers across Moray have been travelling to Raigmore Hospital or to Aberdeen to give birth, which in part led to plans for a £9 million investment in the expansion of the Inverness hospital’s maternity ward – plans which are awaiting a decision from Highland Council.
Information seen by The Inverness Courier from concerned agencies stated: “Low staffing levels have recently led to the suspension of the home-birth service in Inverness. Parents shared a powerful lived experience of the impact this has had.”
It also revealed that “support from the perinatal and infant mental health team is available when changes to service levels have a significant impact on a mother’s mental health”. Feedback had already come in on “the impact on a mother who has already received her home birth pack but now can no longer access the service”.
'We want to be in a position to offer a home-birthing service'
The explanation is that: “There is currently a 56 per cent vacancy level affecting the midwifery teams in Inverness” – something confirmed by a spokesman for the health board who said it is working to resolve the issue.
“Each home-birth request is being considered on an individual basis,” the spokesman said. “Staffing is being considered in detail and a risk assessment will be completed to ensure that services offered are safe for women, babies and the midwives in our teams.
“As a service we want to be in a position to offer a home-birthing service however this is not always possible.
“We are undertaking significant work to respond to midwifery workforce challenges, including successful recruitment of a number of newly qualified midwives, pursuing international recruitment, ongoing national and regional work to extend opportunities for people to train as midwives including apprenticeships, access courses and conversion courses to support nurses to train as midwives.
“In a small number of cases, where it was appropriate to do so, expectant mothers have been offered the choice of birthing at Dr Gray’s maternity unit in Elgin as an alternative to the home-birth arrangement if they wished to do so.”
'Every woman has a right to choose where to birth her baby'
Home birth is desired by some expectant mothers because of the growth in understanding that the environment “impacts hugely” on a successful birth, said former midwife Sheila MacDonald.
“Every woman has a right to choose where to birth her baby,” she added. “Evidence is overwhelming that the environment in which a woman births impacts hugely on how her labour progresses and the outcome for her and her baby.
“A calm, safe and relaxed environment is vital for this and, for the majority of low-risk women, their home provides the optimal place to birth. The alternative would be to birth in a low-risk, midwifery-run birthing centre but, sadly, this is not available in Raigmore.
“This makes it all the more imperative that women in Highland are supported in their choice of home birth.”
Jaki Lambert, director for Scotland at the Royal College of Midwives, said: “This will be a real disappointment for the women who were planning to have a home birth and this decision will not have been taken lightly.
“This is a difficult decision but when faced with shortages, maternity services must act to ensure women receive safe care. It is important now that staff at the board will be in touch with the women affected to discuss their options and also when this situation is to be resolved.
“Boards are working hard to recruit and retain staff but many are struggling, underlining the need for the Scottish Government to double down on efforts to tackle these mounting issues.”
