Decision details

It was moved by Councillor Killen, seconded by Councillor Cummins and unanimously

RESOLVED:

That the Council:

·         Wants Sefton mothers and babies to receive the highest standard of maternity care, which includes having a midwife with them throughout established labour as recommended by NHS England and accepted as best practice.

·         Recognises that giving birth is the most common reason for being admitted to hospital in the UK.

·         Wants to see high-quality, safe maternity care in the most appropriate setting for all Sefton women and babies.

·         Requests the South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and the Southport and Formby CCG to work with the West Lancashire CCG and Liverpool CCG in meeting with local maternity providers to discuss an increase in funding for maternity care which reflects the actual cost of providing safe and appropriate care.

·         Requests the South Sefton CCG and Southport and Formby CCG to investigate what cost savings could be made with investment in a midwife-led unit either in Sefton or alongside Ormskirk District General Hospital.

·         Requests the Secretary of State for Health to:

(i)   reassess the maternity tariff and provide evidence, if there is any, that safe, quality care can be provided via the maternity tariff alone without cross-subsidising maternity with other hospital services; and

(ii)  follow the recommendations of the Public Accounts Committee report into maternity services in England, published in January 2014 which states that:

"The Department (of Health) should assess, through a detailed costing exercise, the affordability of meeting its policy objectives, and work with NHS England and Monitor to review whether the current tariffs for maternity care are set at the right level. The Department should ensure the financial incentives enable the best and most appropriate services to be developed at the lowest cost."