Updated NHS guidelines mean pregnant women allowed partner support âat all timesâ
Under new NHS guidance published on Monday trusts have been requested to review their rules
18:08, 16 DEC 2020
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Last modified on Wed 16 Dec 2020 23.37 EST
Hospital trusts have been ordered by the NHS to review their current rules and allow pregnant women to have their partner present throughout scans, labour and birth.
The new guidance comes after increasing outrage that women were being forced to go through labour alone, and hear devastating news about miscarriages without the support of their partners, as trusts restricted access to maternity services to decrease the risk of spreading coronavirus.
It should mean that all expectant mothers will be allowed one person to accompany them “at all stages of her maternity journey” and attend appointments, as long as the support partner is not showing any Covid-19 symptoms.
It is important now that all trusts do this.
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) said it was unable to endorse the new guidance.
The RCM, the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists and the Society and College of Radiographers said they were consulted on previous drafts and gave feedback based on ten principles, which were not all adopted.
The RCM expressed concerns that safety is being sacrificed in favour of popularity. With more areas moving into Tier 3 restrictions, many will question the common sense of releasing this new guidance now, said Gill Walton, chief executive of the RCM.
An NHS spokesperson said: The NHS understands how important it is for pregnant women to have someone by their side at this special time in their lives, which is why extra infection control measures have been put in place, hospitals are rearranging clinics to give more space, and testing for staff and patients recently made available by the government to ensure this can happen.
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