Kent hospitals get share of £25m NHS handout for maternity services
Four Kent hospitals are set for a windfall as part of a £25m NHS
handout to boost maternity care.
Darent Valley in Dartford, QEQM in Margate, the William Harvey
in Ashford and Medway Maritime are to get a share of the pot being
divided between 100 hospitals in England, it's been revealed.
The cash will go towards new birthing
pools, more family rooms for dads to sleep over and extra
midwife-led units.
It comes after the Royal College of Midwifes warned earlier this
week that maternity services across the UK were at a "tipping
point", with 5,000 fewer midwives than the NHS needs to cope with a
baby boom.
Women in England, it said, had 688,120 babies in 2011, which was
the highest level for 40 years.
The Royal College of Midwives chief executive Cathy Warwick said
the cash injection was great news for hospitals.
She added: "I think there's not a lot of money aroiund at the
moment, and I think heads of midwifery, who have been struggling to
make bids for better facilities will be absolutely delighted to get
this money.
"This money was announced a little while ago. What we are now
hearing is which bids are going to be funded.
"I think this money, and the projects that are being funded,
will make a really big difference to the care that they (mothers)
receive."
24/01/13
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