Responding to the government’s proposals to change midwifery regulation, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman Julie Mellor said:
We are delighted the government has put forward our proposals to separate midwifery regulation and supervision for the safety of mothers and babies.
'This momentous step comes as a result of families making complaints to the Ombudsman Service about NHS failures. We all owe them a debt of gratitude as their actions will help improve maternity services across the country.'
Notes to editors
Our midwifery report, Midwifery supervision and regulation: recommendations for change, based on complaints we received about local midwifery investigations, found that the lives of mothers and babies could be put at risk because supervisors of midwives have two inherently conflicting roles. They investigate serious incidents on behalf of the regulator whilst often being responsible for the development and support of these same midwives, who may also be their peers. As a result safety may not always be at the heart of local investigations and lessons from serious incidents involving midwives may not be learnt.
If these changes in law are made, all regulatory investigations in the future will be carried out by the NMC and not local supervisors of midwives, which is sometimes currently the case.
To view the government consultation, The Nursing and Midwifery Council - amendments to modernise midwifery regulation and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of fitness to practise processes, launched today.
The consultation will run for 8 weeks and closes on 17 June 2016.