NHS England Considers Withdrawing Midwifery Services from Home Births, Sparking Safety Row

NHS England is considering allowing midwives to withdraw care from women who choose to give birth at home against professional advice, in a move that has drawn sharp criticism from leading maternity organisations.

 

The proposal emerged in a letter sent by NHSE on 24 December in response to a Prevention of Future Deaths report issued by Manchester coroner Joanne Kearsley, following the deaths of Jennifer and Agnes Cahill. The letter, only published last month, states that NHSE is looking to "clarify" whether midwives may withdraw services from women birthing at home against clinical guidance, or from those making requests considered "highly unsafe or unreasonable".

 

The Royal College of Midwives has warned the move could push women toward giving birth entirely alone. Midwifery director Fiona Gibb said withdrawing care "does not make those women safer" and called instead for "properly staffed, properly resourced services".

 

Human rights charity Birthrights went further, describing the potential policy as an "erosion of human rights by stealth". Chief executive Hazel Williams said women requesting midwifery support in labour "should never be denied this support", and noted the proposals could apply beyond home births to other care settings.

 

An NHSE spokesman said maternity teams "will always offer care, advice and support" to women through pregnancy and birth, and confirmed that hospitals have been asked to urgently review their home birth services.

 

The controversy comes after at least a dozen NHS trusts suspended home birth services following an NHSE directive in November, citing staffing gaps and training shortfalls. Campaigners and health professionals have warned the suspensions are already driving an increase in women giving birth without any professional assistance.

 

Source: Health Service Journal