Health chiefs are warned 'overworked midwives burning out'

Published on Tuesday 20 October 2009 00:28

CONCERNS that midwives are "burning out" because they look after too many mothers and their babies were raised with health officials yesterday.

A question submitted to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde's annual review asked how midwives could be expected to provide high-quality care when three midwives were looking after up to 29 women and their babies.

The concerns come after the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) warned that over half of nurses in Scotland were too busy to provide the care they would like to.

The latest fears raised to the Glasgow board related to the Princess Royal maternity unit in Glasgow.

In a written question, Fiona Hendry, who has worked in the NHS for 34 years, said staff were trying their best to give physical care, teach parenting skills, promote breastfeeding and teach other staff.

"There is a daily frustration and disappointment that this care cannot be delivered to the standard it should be to a client group who deserve not adequate, but superb care at a very emotional and vulnerable stage in their life," she said.

"Midwives are 'burning out' because of this pressure, frequently missing their own meal breaks due to the constant and phenomenal workload."

Rosslyn Crocket, director of nursing and women's and children's services at the board, said they were surprised the issue had been raised, as it had not been raised within the hospital.

"What we have done over the last six months or so is put some additional staff into the Princess Royal Maternity Unit, put an extra 20 midwives in, recognising that activity has been on the increase, as it has nationally.

"As far as three midwives being on, we would also have other staff in addition to midwives. So it is much wider than the midwifery team alone."