DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Woke NHS must put new mothers first

DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Woke NHS must put new mothers first

There should barely be a safer place for expectant mothers and their babies than an NHS maternity ward.

Yet in recent years there have been harrowing scandals at hospital trusts where women and their newborns have died unnecessarily.

Despite a string of public inquiries making recommendations to improve care and reduce risks, a damning report has found a concerning decline in women’s experience of maternity services.

The care watchdog says pregnant women and new mothers more often feel abandoned. They have less confidence in the NHS. And fewer were able to get medical help during labour. This is a shocking state of affairs. But is it really any surprise?

There should barely be a safer place for expectant mothers and their babies than an NHS maternity ward. Yet in recent years there have been harrowing scandals at hospital trusts where women and their newborns have died unnecessarily [File photo]

As we reveal, instead of a laser-like focus on improving maternity provision, health chiefs have been captured by woke ideology.

Senior officials plan to spend £100,000 on a midwife training programme to improve care for pregnant transgender patients.

Based on a flawed study by trans activists that claims men can give birth, the initiative encourages midwives to use terms including ‘chestfeeding’ and ‘human milk’.

It risks bringing poor practice on to maternity wards and diverting midwives from the frontline – endangering women.

If the NHS cannot perform the basic task of looking after expectant mothers and their babies, what on earth is it for?

Despite a string of public inquiries making recommendations to improve care and reduce risks, a damning report has found a concerning decline in women’s experience of maternity services

Following fevered speculation, Rishi Sunak has finally admitted using private healthcare in the past.

This is hardly a blinding revelation – after all, he and his wife are multi-millionaires.

But by initially ducking the question when asked by the class-baiting BBC, the Prime Minister needlessly made himself look slippery. Why not just tell the truth?

Yes, private healthcare remains a hot potato in the UK, where the nation worships at the altar of the NHS. But it is nothing to be embarrassed about.

It is an immutable Tory virtue that people should be free to spend their own money as they wish. Labour’s claim that paying for treatment is somehow a slight on the NHS is simply woolly-headed nonsense.

The health service is in chaos. Shouldn’t those who can afford to go private be applauded for taking pressure off the NHS – while still funding it through their taxes?

Two lessons for Rishi

He was at the Carlton Club – the Tories’ spiritual home – to unveil his post-prime ministerial portrait. But by the end of Tuesday, all eyes were on Boris Johnson himself.

Boosterish as ever, he said the Conservatives united would defeat plodding Keir Starmer. Only one party, he said, would slash the tax burden, extend home ownership and stop Channel migrants – and it wasn’t Labour.

Not 24 hours later, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan – who left her state comprehensive at 16 – gave a passionate defence of Britain’s private schools, which Labour’s class warriors want to extinguish (even though twice as many Opposition MPs as the national average attended one).

He was at the Carlton Club – the Tories’ spiritual home – to unveil his post-prime ministerial portrait. But by the end of Tuesday, all eyes were on Boris Johnson himself 

Her message of aspiration, personal choice and wanting the very best for our children should be in every Conservative’s DNA.

While we believe Mr Sunak can win the next election with his formidable political skills, perhaps his army of spin doctors should take notes from these colleagues.

By injecting more optimism, the PM could turn the tide decisively in the Tories’ favour.

The use of cash has risen for the first time in 13 years as households seek to manage their finances better during the cost of living squeeze. So will the banks (bailed out by taxpayers after the crash) now put customers before profits and halt the relentless closure of branches and holes-in-the-wall? We won’t hold our breath.

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