Maternity wards are turning away women in labour

Lives are being put at risk as half of maternity wards turn women in labour away because they are so busy.

 

A report by the Royal College of Midwives say units are “bursting at the seams” and unable to cope with soaring demand.

 

Britain’s birth rate is at an all-time high and midwives say there has also been an increase in complicated births because more mothers are older or obese.

 

Despite the NHS employing an extra 1,000 midwives in recent years, the report calculated that another 5,000 are needed to ensure mums and babies are cared for properly.