Northern Ireland staff shortages hit one in three maternity shifts

Staff shortages have affected one in three shifts in antenatal and postnatal wards at the Royal Jubilee Maternity Hospital in Belfast over the last six months.

 

Around 15 per cent of shifts in the hospital’s labour wards have been affected by staff absences in the same period.

 

However, the trust said the hospital had “continued to deliver safe and effective care” for their patients.

 

According to the latest figures, absences in the region have affected around one in ten of all staff across the five health trusts.

 

Karen Murray, director of the Royal College of Midwives in Northern Ireland, said Covid had exposed issues around the number of midwifery staff available.  She added “I think this has been the worst it has been; I think it has been that perfect storm.  We recognised and we were raising issues about workforce before Covid.

 

“Whilst our central services are being maintained and safety is being maintained, what we are seeing are things around the periphery of maternity services, that are now being stood down.

 

“Things like home births, for example, that we are unable to facilitate because we don’t have enough midwives available.”

 

A spokesperson from the Belfast Health Trust said “Despite the extraordinary challenges presented to health and social care throughout the pandemic, Belfast Trust is confident that the Royal Jubilee Maternity Service is providing a safe service for all its patients.”

 

Chadwick Lawrence’s team of medical negligence lawyers have years of experience in high value and complex medical negligence compensation claims and have an excellent record.  The team is led by Tony May, a specialist cerebral palsy and birth injury solicitor, who has over 20 years experience in handling cases in which babies have been brain damaged or sustained other injuries as a result of medical negligence.  He and his team continue to represent many cerebral palsy children and young adults in medical negligence claims.  Tony also acts as a Court of Protection Deputy for many of the cerebral palsy and brain damaged clients that he has represented, so we can continue to support you after your case is settled.  Tony can be contacted by email on tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk.  Alternatively, please call and speak to any of Chadwick Lawrence’s specialist medical negligence Legal Aid and no win, no fee solicitors for free legal advice on Freephone 0800 304 7382