NHS trusts failing pregnant women

A new report by the Healthcare Commission has found that many NHS trusts are failing to carry out the recommended number of scans on pregnant women.

Only 61 per cent were found to be performing all 11 checks as advised by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) guidelines concerning ultrasound scans.

Only 11 per cent of trusts also reported adhering to Nice's quality requirements for Down's Syndrome screening for all women, which was recommended in April 2007.

The study also said that staffing shortages were resulting in poor quality care in many trusts. The average number of midwives on a unit was 31 per 1,000 deliveries. However, nine trusts had only 26 midwives per 1,000 deliveries or fewer.

Mary Newburn, of the National Childbirth Trust, told the BBC: "Women can be emotionally traumatised by a lack of support when they are in labour or coping with a new baby, and can be left needing months of physical or psychological recovery with long-term scars."

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