Maternity care should be safe from cuts, according to poll

Two out of three people in England believe maternity services should be spared from health service spending cuts, according to a poll out today.

The survey of more than 1,700 people for the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) found only 8 per cent of people thought maternity should be included in NHS cuts, while 59 per cent thought the current financial crisis would lead to less money being spent on maternity care.

The RCM predicts an extra 5,000 midwives will be needed in England in the coming years.

Data shows that birth rates in England have increased by 19 per cent since 2001, but that the number of midwives has risen by little more than 8 per cent.