The worrying state of Britain’s maternity services is revealed in a damning Healthcare Commission report that finds a quarter of women are being left alone during labour.
The report, which follows the biggest ever survey of new mothers, provides a snapshot of a service where women receive poor care and little advice, and blames failings on a shortage of staff.
UK maternity services called into question
One in five new mothers said they had received conflicting advice
The Royal College of Midwives said that at least 5,000 more staff were needed to improve the quality of care.
Around 26,000 women who gave birth in the first two months of this year took part in the survey. One in four was left alone during labour or shortly after birth, and one in five said toilets and bathrooms were dirty.
