A woman in labor was forced to drive 40 miles to give birth after being turned away from three hospitals for lack of midwives.
Sunday, Barbara Job, age 25, from Peterborough, was required to travel one hour to Leicester.
Her delivery plans mentioned Peterborough City Hospital, and as her waters broke, she called the hospital’s unit, according to her mother-in-law Rica Scott.
However, Sarah and her husband William were informed that there was insufficient staff to ensure safe delivery and that they should search elsewhere.
Both Huntingdon’s Hinchingbrooke Hospital and Cambridge’s Rosie Hospital provided the same response.
Mrs. Job was finally accepted at Leicester Royal Infirmary, and the pair had to drive her there while she was in “terrible pain,” according to Ms. Scott. Yesterday, she gave birth to a healthy boy there.
Mrs. Job’s ordeal is a result of the present midwife staffing crisis afflicting the NHS.
Last year, nearly 300 more employees departed the health service than arrived, according to the most recent NHS statistics.
Members of the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) are physically and emotionally exhausted, according to the RCM.
I found it distressing because it made me feel extremely pampered.
“When I had children, you received so much attention, but now you have to battle for it.
This is why Barbara and William wanted me to speak out: so that no other mother has to go through what I have.
Mrs. Job endured prolonged labor, which occurs when childbirth takes longer than usual due to sluggish cervical dilatation.
The Leicester Royal Infirmary staff urged her to return to Peterborough, where she had intended to deliver.
Ms. Scott stated that when she called her local hospital, she was ordered to “remain where you are.”
Ms. Job was required to contact the manager of Peterborough City Hospital in front of the personnel of Leicester Royal Infirmary.
The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care System, which represents all of Cambridgeshire’s NHS providers, stated, “The safety of mothers and infants utilizing our maternity units is of the utmost importance.”
‘Although we recognize the delicate nature of the situation, it may be necessary to advise women to utilize alternative maternity units if a unit has reached capacity.
All patients undergo a risk assessment before being moved to another facility.
If you have urgent questions regarding your pregnancy, please call your local maternity team for assistance.
The latest Care Quality Commission (CQC) findings indicate that more than half of England’s maternity units have got unsatisfactory ratings for safety.
In their most recent inspections, 80 of 193 NHS maternity services were graded as “inadequate” or “needs improvement”
The low scores indicate that they do not fulfill fundamental safety criteria, with some failing years after flaws were recognized.
