NMC response to CQC maternity survey results 2023

“It’s welcome to see women reporting better experiences in some areas of maternity care. We hope our future midwife standards, which underpin midwifery education and practice, are playing a part by supporting midwives to provide skilled care, act with compassion, work as part of a team and speak up when things go wrong.

“At the same time, today’s findings also expose the difficulties some people have in accessing high-quality care. This is clearly being exacerbated by well publicised staffing pressures, which can get in the way of midwives’ ability to provide safe, kind and effective care. We know when this happens, it can lead to worse outcomes for women and babies.

“Adequate resources and fully functioning multi-disciplinary teams are fundamental to tackling these issues. In line with our standards, the findings also demonstrate the importance of continuity of care, wherever possible, to help women receive excellent person-centred care during pregnancy, birth and postnatally.

“At a time of growing demand, listening to the needs and experiences of women and families, and acting on what they say, has never been more important.”

Note:

We recently launched our initiative called ‘The best midwifery care happens in partnership’ – supporting midwives to have a strong and positive relationship with women and families, ensuring the best possible experiences for them.

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