Barbara Stewart MP
Spokesperson for Health
19 February 2013

Horrific Birthing Event Highlighs Need for Maternity Review

New Zealand First is renewing its offer to the Government to help form a bipartisan committee to review maternity services and recommend improvements.

The call comes following news of a horrific birth in the South Island which led to a midwife facing a serious misconduct charge.

Health spokesperson Barbara Stewart says the fact that substandard midwifery continues to raise its ugly head is proof that something positive must be done.

“While it can be upsetting to accept one’s own personal limitations, the maternity system needs to be focused on positive outcomes for the mother and baby, not how awkward the midwife may feel acknowledging their personal medical conditions.

“The trauma this family must have experienced is one example among many which shows the Government must launch an inquiry into New Zealand’s maternity system.

“Lives of mothers and their newly born children will remain at serious risk unless problems within the maternity system are recognised and sensible solutions implemented,” says Mrs Stewart.

ENDS

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