New Maternity And Neonatal Partnership To Improve Care

A new partnership is being formed to enhance maternity care services in Northern Ireland. Health Minister Mike Nesbitt announced the establishment of a Maternity and Neonatal Partnership in response to an independent review of midwifery services.

The review, conducted by Professor Mary Renfrew, outlined a series of recommendations to transform services and improve outcomes for women, babies, and families. The partnership will be tasked with implementing these recommendations and driving positive changes in maternity care across all settings.

Minister Nesbitt said: "I am very grateful to Professor Renfrew for this comprehensive and timely report. My Department is committed to continuing a major programme of work on improving maternity and neonatal safety across Northern Ireland. The commissioning of this review has formed an important part of that work and its publication today is a significant staging post on the path to transformed services.

"I spoke with Professor Renfrew yesterday and we agreed that Northern Ireland has a genuine opportunity to be a real leader in maternity care and to deliver positive whole system reform.

"The new Maternity and Neonatal Partnership when established will be tasked with implementing a consolidated regional action plan including the overseeing of action on recommendations from Professor Renfrew. This will only be properly effective through a multi-disciplinary approach that keeps women and babies at the centre of everything we do. "Maternity services in NI have undoubtedly been under intense pressure, not least in relation to staffing. The same, unfortunately, can be said for services right across health and social care. I want to make very clear that improving maternity and neonatal services is an immediate area of  focus for my Department and for me personally.

"Professor Renfrew has found both serious weaknesses and real strengths in the current provision of midwifery and wider maternity care for mothers and their babies. We need to both build on these strengths and systematically address the weaknesses.

"This report has highlighted traumatic experiences faced by some women, which I acknowledge and deeply regret. It also underlines the pressures on midwives and wider clinical teams within maternity and neonatal services.

"There is a clear message that all of us involved in the health service must listen to women. I am listening and I agree that improvement is needed. Childbirth is a hugely significant life event for women, babies and their families and it is essential that they are provided with safe, respectful, kind, evidence-informed, multidisciplinary, individualised care across the continuum of care in all settings."

The Minister added: "Maternity care can make an important contribution to reducing health inequalities and improving infant development through early identification of needs and timely intervention. Its importance cannot be overstated.

"I am determined to ensure all midwifery services and care in Northern Ireland are safe, respectful, and compassionate where women and their families feel heard, valued and supported."