COLUMN BY SIOBHAN BAILLIE MP.

I had the honour of taking part in the March with Midwives event in Stroud at the weekend.

It was one of 33 across the country.

Around 1000 people turned out for the event to show their support for midwives.

This is a big issue locally as postnatal beds at Stroud Maternity Hospital are closed due to staff shortages and illness.

Although I have been assured by NHS managers they will reopen when staff are available, I know and understand local people are concerned.

I have very recent and brilliant experience of maternity services here in Stroud and at the Royal Gloucester – both my daughters and I were looked after at Stroud.

I have campaigned on behalf of midwives and held a debate in parliament to discuss the pressures they are experiencing across the country.

I am personally deeply indebted to our midwives and health visitors.  They are held in high regard by so many families.

Just blaming the government will not lead to change and is a misreading of the widely documented issues for maternity staff over decades. 

We are also seeing the NHS in Scotland and Wales in hugely difficult times too with the SNP and Labour governments struggling like England.

Midwives need to be listened to by the government, the NHS and NHS Trusts to secure improvements. 

An ask of midwives is for there to be less bureaucracy. I spoke to the Health Secretary Steve Barclay about the March for Midwives manifesto last week and he told me he is planning major reforms with the NHS.

He went on to announce he wants to cut the number of bureaucrats and some targets. The plan is to free up the precious time of doctors, nurses and midwives to treat patients and not fill in forms.

In the autumn statement the NHS was given a further £3.3 billion a year. The Health Secretary wants to see this money spent on treating patients, not on admin.  

Past experience has told us change will not be an easy task in the NHS.

But the situation around waiting lists and the experiences of patients, midwives and nurses mean this is urgent.