Women must not feel pressure to have ‘ideal birth’, says Yvette Cooper
Exclusive: New health secretary promises root-and-branch reform after damning maternity scandals Women should not feel pressurised into experiencing an “ideal birth”, the new health secretary, Yvette Cooper, has said, promising a root-and-branch reform of standards after several damning maternity scandals. Cooper, who returns to the department 27 years after she was the minister for public health…
New Health Secretary Yvette Cooper has pledged to overhaul maternity standards following a series of maternity scandals. Cooper, returning to the health department 27 years after serving as a minister for public health under Tony Blair, emphasized that women should not feel pressured to have an "ideal birth" experience. She promised to introduce binding national maternity standards, addressing concerns about pressure on women to opt for certain types of birth experiences.
Cooper's reforms will focus on ending inequalities in care, particularly for black and Asian women, and ensuring patient experience is a key measurement criterion. She aims to re-introduce a statutory maternity commissioner, which was previously recommended in independent inquiries into poor maternity practices. Cooper, who herself experienced maternity leave in the early 2000s, expressed shock at the current state of maternity services, feeling that the focus on the needs of mothers and families has been lost.
She is determined to restore this focus, viewing maternity care as a critical priority for the NHS. Cooper acknowledged the need to address cultural issues within trusts, particularly the perceived clash between doctors and midwives over intervention levels in birth.
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