Tessa's Comment

I am a qualified (but not currently practicing) midwife, one of the thousands who has left the NHS; mainly due to lack of satisfaction, for example, not being able to give one-to-one care and support to a woman during her pregnancy and labour (a factor known to improve maternal and neonatal outcome). Therefore from a midwife’s perspective I can see how important it is to be able to practice in a way which is optimal for the health of so many mothers and babies: by being an Independent Midwife. I chose to use an Independent Midwife for my first child (now aged 3 years) as I felt that the NHS would not be able to give me continuity of care. Having an Independent Midwife enabled me to have the home birth that I wished (thus saving money for the NHS!). I do not believe that the NHS would have been able to offer half of what my Independent Midwife gave me in terms of time, support and expertise. (During my pregnancy I did have to go to the local Maternity Unit several times. On each of these occasions I saw a different health professional – be it midwife or doctor. The feeling that I was ‘just another woman’ was palpable. I felt a stranger, no-one knew my ‘history’ and the health professionals were strangers to me. It’s hard to put into words, but at such a point in a woman’s life to feel supported is of paramount importance. Not a feeling you achieve by dealing with strangers at every turn.) I am now pregnant again and have chosen to have the same Independent Midwife. The thought that Independent Midwives could be 'outlawed' does not bear thinking about... (non practicing midwife, current and previous client of independent midwife)