House of Commons - Health - Fourth Report

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House of Commons

Session 2002-03
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Health Committee Publications

Health - Fourth Report

Here you can browse the report together with the Proceedings of the Committee. The published report was ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 3 June 2003.

CONTENTS

Terms of Reference

REPORT

Summary

1  INTRODUCTION

How is maternity care provided in England?

2  COLLECTION OF DATA FROM MATERNITY UNITS

How are data on maternity care collected at national level?

How does the current system operate?
What are the problems with the current system?
What is being done to improve the system?

How are data on maternity care collected at local level?

What systems are used by maternity units to enter and retrieve data?
Who collects and enters the data?

How can maternity unit data collection systems be improved?

3  CAESAREAN SECTION RATES

How have caesarean section rates changed?

What is the current situation?
What are the implications of rising caesarean section rates for women and babies?
How has the Government responded to these concerns?
Why are caesarean sections carried out and why are rates increasing?

What is the experience in maternity units?

What concerns do staff and users have about rising caesarean rates?
Why do caesarean section rates vary so much between maternity units?

What can be done to reduce caesarean section rates?

Reviewing maternity care for women who have had a previous caesarean section
Reviewing policy on intervention in labour
Increasing consultant support for women in obstetric units
Increasing midwifery support in community and in obstetric units

4  THE STAFFING STRUCTURE OF MATERNITY CARE TEAMS

How are women and babies cared for during pregnancy and the early stages of life?

What are the main staff roles within maternity care teams?
How has the Government supported the development of the maternity care units and the maternity care workforce?

What are the most important workforce issues for maternity care teams?

What is the current situation with regard to recruitment and retention of midwives?
What effect have the European Working Time Directive and other changes to doctors' hours had on maternity care teams?

What impact do staffing and configuration issues have on women and babies?

Access to maternity care
Access to antenatal and postnatal care
The concepts of continuity of care and continuity of carer

5  PROVISION OF TRAINING FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WHO ADVISE PREGNANT WOMEN AND NEW MOTHERS

Medical and technical training
Communication, support and outreach training
How is training delivered at maternity units?

6  CONCLUSIONS

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

APPENDIX: CURRENT SITUATION IN MATERNITY SERVICES
FORMAL MINUTES
WITNESSES
LIST OF WRITTEN EVIDENCE
LIST OF UNPRINTED WRITTEN EVIDENCE
REPORTS FROM THE HEALTH COMMITTEE SINCE 2001

MINUTES OF EVIDENCE - VOLUME II (HC 464-II)

Thursday 6 March 2003
Thursday 11 March 2003
Tuesday 25 March 2003
Tuesday 1 April 2003

APPENDICES TO THE MINUTES OF EVIDENCE - VOLUME II (HC 464-II)

© Parliamentary copyright 2003
Prepared 18 June 2003