Reclaiming Birth Rally...what you can do now
Reclaiming Birth Rally:
The rally was overwhelming success and IM UK would like to thank everyone who marched to Whitehall with us. It does not end there though and our work, with your help, must continue. Please read the objectives of the campaign below followed by what you can do to help.
Reclaiming Birth is a campaign by IM UK; RCM; ARM; NCT; AIMS and Albany Mums about the standard of maternity services throughout the UK. We want parents-to-be to have the best opportunity to start family life in the optimum way. Our concerns cover a range of issues:
Too many women and their partners are left alone in labour with little support from overstretched midwives. Parents-to-be often don't have access to the services and support they need for the birth of their baby to be a positive event.
This will only change when there are more midwives, greater access to free-standing midwifery units (Birth Centres), or home births, and more midwives carrying their own caseloads and looking after parents-to-be from conception to birth and postnatally. Few parents currently have any of these options.
THE CAMPAIGN’S OBJECTIVES:
· Supporting Independent Midwives UK in its vision of being commissioned to provide a case loading midwifery service free at the point of use by every PCT in England
· More midwives so that every woman is fully supported and not left alone
· Setting up at least one stand-alone birth centre (midwife-led unit) in every local area
· Good information on, and the option to choose, home birth, birth in a stand-alone birth centre or birth in an obstetric unit in every area (Maternity Matters)
· An inquiry into how the decision to terminate the Albany's contract with King's College Hospital Foundation Trust, London was taken and the findings made publicly available.
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO?
· There are a few more actions you can take. These are really quick and easy, and should take no more than five minutes. Why not write to your elected representative (AM/MLA/MP/MSP) and ask for their support?
· Or write to your local MSLC to encourage them to support the campaign and start getting action from your local Health Board or Trust?
· And sign up to IM UK’s postcard campaign (on our website), to demonstrate to your local Primary Care Trust (PCT) that there is a local demand for them to commission an IM UK midwifery service. We will provide safe, cost effective, individualized, woman-focused care free at the point of use
Write to your AM/MLA/MSP (Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland)