Tories: Govt has dithered
Monday, 25 Feb 2008 10:55
The Conservative party has accused the government of dithering over plans to improve the number of midwives working in the NHS.
Health secretary Alan Johnson said the government aims to attract 4,000 midwives by 2012 and announced a package of incentives to encourage midwives taking a career break to return to the health service.
This includes free training and a 'golden hello' of up to £3,000, consisting of childcare- and travel cost-support plus a grant of up to £1,500.
In response the shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley said the government is "still chasing headlines instead of sound, well-planned policies for our NHS".
"Once again, his big 'new' announcement crumbles when you look at the details. We don't know where the money's coming from but we do know [Gordon] Brown has raided public health budgets," Mr Lansley said.
"The Royal College of Midwives and the Conservative party have been calling for this but the government has yet again dithered."
He added: "After two years of the number of midwives falling, it is clearly right to increase the number of midwives, but it's too late for the government to meet its promise for every mother giving birth to have her own midwife by 2009.
"Now, will the government ensure that the choices that mothers want to make about child care are supported, including home births and midwife-led births, as well as obstetric units?"