MIDWIFE leaders welcomed the publication of new standards for maternity care in Wales today but warned that investment in staff was the key to success.

The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) Cymru was responding to a Welsh government plan setting out new standards and expectations for high-quality maternity and neonatal services in Wales.

The new quality statement on maternity and neonatal care and the perinatal engagement framework sets out how the NHS will seek to improve services.

Health Secretary Jeremy Miles has also told health boards to give mothers-to-be the full choice of where to give birth, even if that means using services outside their area.

RCM national officer for Wales Vicky Richards said: “We welcome the Welsh government’s ambitions to achieve safe, high-quality maternity care for all women in Wales.

“The RCM is also pleased to have been able to contribute to both the maternity standards and the perinatal framework.”

But the union warned that both improvements were “dependent on investing in staff — crucially, having the right levels of staff, in the right places with the right education and training.”

Mr Miles said: “Pregnancy and childbirth are life-changing events for women and their families.

“We know that independent reports in the UK have highlighted concerns around the poor experiences of women and babies.

“We’ve listened to the concerns and will continue to work with health boards to ensure that women’s voices are at the heart of the care they receive.”

RCM Cymru said its members were seeing an increase in more complex pregnancies, with women presenting to maternity services with underlying health conditions such as higher body mass index, mental ill health and social complexities.

“These women need specialist midwife support to maintain a safe pregnancy and ensure the best outcome for both them and their babies,” Ms Richards said.

The RCM added that, with individual health boards expected to listen to and act upon the ideas of pregnant women, feedback from midwives and maternity support workers should also be taken into account.

In addition, the midwives’ union called for greater transparency, with health boards making their reports publicly available.

“We would also like to see an annual report on the progress of both given by the Cabinet Secretary to the Senedd,” Ms Richards said.