Examination of Witnesses (Questions 200
- 204)
TUESDAY 24 JUNE 2003
DR STEPHEN
LADYMAN MP, LINDSAY
WILKINSON, CATHERINE
MCCORMICK
AND DAVID
AMOS
Q200 Julia Drown: I just wanted to
pick up a couple of other points. The first one was on whether
the choice sort of direction from the Government would also extend
to length of stay for those people in hospital. Again, it is one
of those particular issues that is picked up in community hospitals
where people say this particular place needs to close, it is not
cost effective because people are staying longer. But if you talk
to the women involved in most units that the thing they particularly
like if they are having a problem establishing breast feeding,
they like to be there on the ward where 24 hours a day you have
got help. And again, it is something that Changing Childbirth
said 10 years ago that providers should have as flexible approach
as possible to the length of post-natal stay. Again, is that an
issue that the Government is still trying to work towards?
Dr Ladyman: Yes, it is the whole
range of post-natal choices that we want to improve on, including
the length of time that you are going to be in contact with midwife
is one of them. The length of stay is another one. The sorts of
additional support you may need; childminding, cleaning, that
sort of thing, when you get home. These are all areas that are
there in our gold standard that we are working towards.
Q201 Julia Drown: Okay. And the other
issue is—I am amazed we got through all this without mentioning
litigation because it is always a big concern in maternity services.
We have had some evidence from people calling for a no fault compensation
scheme for maternity services, but I know that that is not agreed
across the board. What is the current Government thinking on that?
Ms Wilkinson: It is not my expertise.
I am ruffling through my papers here. But the Chief Medical Officer
is carrying out a review of litigation across the board for handling
clinical negligence and decisions about what we might be able
to do about that will have to come to when he has done a proper
review. It is not just an issue for maternity services, although
it does obviously account for quite a high proportion of the bill,
if not quite a high proportion of the activity.
Q202 Julia Drown: Time scale for
that report?
Ms Wilkinson: I am afraid we will
have to write to you about that one.
Q203 Julia Drown: Okay, thank you.
Dr Ladyman: He has got a lot of
work to do, the Chief Medical Officer.
Q204 Julia Drown: Any other questions
from Members or points that you want to make? No? Okay, in which
case can I thank you all very much and thank you, Stephen, you
have managed very well after that time and we would appreciate
it if you could write to us on those outstanding issues.
Dr Ladyman: Okay.
Julia Drown: Thank you very much and
that concludes our third and final session.
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