HOW CAN SERVICES AND CARE IMPROVE WITHOUT FUNDS-WHERE WILL THE FUNDS COME FROM?

‘Shocking budget cuts will compromise the delivery of safe maternity care in every way,’ says RCM

The devastating decision revealed by the Health Service Journal (HSJ) on the eve of the RCM’s national conference, will see national Service Development Funding (SDF) for maternity services drop from £95m in 2024-25 to just £2m in 2025-26.

Commenting, the RCM’s Chief Executive, Gill Walton said:

“These budget cuts are more than shocking, they will rip the heart out of any moves to improve maternity safety. The Government has taken a wrecking ball to the work that’s being done up and down the country to improve maternity safety, something which is desperately needed. What they’ve done is an insult to the women and families who have received care that has fallen short, the same women and families who have campaigned so hard to make maternity safety a priority for successive governments. They are just as insulting to the midwives and wider maternity teams who are working tirelessly to drive safety improvements across maternity services in England. Furthermore, these cuts go against the Government’s very own commitment to reduce inequalities and poor outcomes for Black, Asian and minority ethnic women.”