A CAMPAIGN to give West Somerset families safer maternity care, including having consultants and midwives available round the clock, has been launched by local MP Rachel Gilmour.

She called for a maternity care rescue plan for the area ‘to end the crisis which has seen far too many mothers and babies let down’.

Mrs Gilmour said: “Our NHS staff do an incredible job under pressure but too often they are overstretched and do not have the support they need.

“We need to get more experienced staff, fix crumbling maternity units, and make sure every mother and baby gets the care they deserve.”

Last week, Mrs Gilmour co-sponsored a Ten Minute Rule Bill in Parliament on improving maternity care.

Her proposals include having specialist doctors present on every maternity unit 24/7 and providing one-to-one midwifery care to every woman during labour.

This would ensure it was no more dangerous to give birth at night or at a weekend than at any other time.

Mrs Gilmour said: “Previous research has found that 73 per cent of maternity units in England do not have a consultant present at night, despite most births taking place outside of working hours.

“Many negligence claims for poor maternity care are linked to failings in care outside of regular working hours.

“Maternity care in general across the Somerset NHS Foundation Trust is rated good although the Royal Devon University NHS Trust requires improvement.”

Mrs Gilmour said: “Every West Somerset mother deserves to feel safe when they go into hospital to have a baby.

“That means having the right staff in place at all times and making sure mothers get one-to-one care during labour.

“But, too often, that is not happening.

“That is why I am launching this campaign to rescue our local maternity services and bring our hospitals up to the highest standards of safety.”