Lib Dems call for one-to-one midwife care during childbirth

Health spokesperson Helen Morgan met parents and babies to discuss maternity care

Liberal Democrats are calling for one-to-one midwife care for women in labour, as figures suggest life-altering childbirth injuries in England have reached record levels.

Lib Dem analysis of NHS figures showed the number of women suffering potentially life-threatening levels of blood loss is the highest ever recorded in England.

Three in every 100 women suffered serious tearing injuries requiring emergency surgery in the first half of this year, something party leader Sir Ed Davey said was a "devastating indictment of our NHS maternity services".

The government is expected to publish a new national maternity and neonatal action plan by the end of the year.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast at the Lib Dem annual conference in Brighton, Davey pledged to spend £600m a year on maternity services if in government.

He said £1.3bn a year was currently being spent on "failure" through negligence compensation payouts for poor maternity services, but said this investment should go towards prevention instead.

Calling for more senior midwives and consultants, he said: "Our current maternity staff are run ragged - they're massively overstretched.

"That's the best way, all the evidence shows, to make sure maternity units are safe," he added.

"It is a scandal at the moment - we've seen inquiry after inquiry. So many women are suffering injuries at birth and we're seeing the loss of babies too; it is a tragedy as well as a scandal."

He said ministers "cannot turn a blind eye to this national safety scandal" and mothers "deserve safe, compassionate care".

The Lib Dems are calling for a consultant obstetrician to be present on every labour ward at all hours, one-to-one midwifery care for every woman in labour, and recruit an extra 300 consultant midwives.