Readers, including clinical psychologists and midwives, respond to an article about Norah Bassett, who was hours old when she died, following multiple failings in her care
Your article (‘My child was drowning’: life and death on an English maternity ward, 26 March) made for salutary reading. In our experience as clinical psychologists who have been working to support midwives, obstetricians and student midwives over a number of years, we recognise the complexity of the challenges that maternity services face.
The notion that the problems are due to one issue or person, such as a belligerent consultant obstetrician, or conflict between approaches of midwives and obstetricians, will not lead to the improvements that are needed. We observe system-wide difficulties, with overstretched staff at all levels, who are often at breaking point and feel they can never get it right. They experience high levels of trauma, but usually dare not talk about their own vulnerability. What staff need is what new parents need – to be listened to and understood, with opportunities to air the emotional impact of what they experience.
