The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) is supporting calls for urgent action on maternity services in Northern Ireland, after Professor Mary Renfrew, author of a landmark 2024 review, said the opportunity for reform “has been missed.”
Nearly two years on, with no maternity strategy in place since 2018, the RCM says mothers, babies and families have already waited long enough.
Dr Dale Spence, RCM Director for Northern Ireland, said:
“The RCM is calling for a new maternity and neonatal strategy to be brought forward without further delay. Safe, quality maternity care for women and babies is non-negotiable and Professor Renfrew has already shown us the way – the blueprint exists.
“It’s nearly two years since her report was published and notably Northern Ireland has been without a maternity strategy since the last one expired in 2018.
“That is simply not good enough. Mothers, babies and families have waited long enough. We are supporting Professor Renfrew’s call for her recommendations to be implemented in full.”
