Responding to Baroness Amos' review into maternity and neonatal care in England, RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive Professor Nicola Ranger said:
"Baroness Amos is right to focus on a renewed drive to improve standards, including through a national commissioner with powers to hold the system to account. Consistent, high quality, equitable care should be the rule, not the exception. In developing a new service model, the new commissioner must recognise the link between staffing levels and outcomes, with midwifery and nursing's safety-critical roles in maternity and neonatal services understood, supported and invested in.
“This review should mark a watershed moment and nursing stands ready to play its part. Never again should women, babies and families be failed like this. In returning confidence to care, it's now crucial the renewed political drive to improve standards is matched with the necessary funding. Without which, we will continue to see unacceptable failings and further damage done to care and to trust.”
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