Midwives complain about lack of staff

THE nursing union Satse has reported a lack of staff in the Maternity Unit at Malaga’s Hospital Materno Infantil.

They complain that there are only four midwives to attend the 13 birthing suites; in the high-risk ward there is one obstetrician for 32 beds; and the third floor, for imminent births, has been closed since early summer, meaning these women are sent to floors for mothers and new babies instead.

According to Satse, this is because replacements are not found for people who retire or are on sick leave. They also complain that a memo informed them that in the case of the high-risk ward being full, women should be placed on the fourth and fifth floors and have to go down to the emergency ward in the basement to be examined by the midwife there, “which is a risk for the pregnant woman and her baby.”

The syndicate said at a meeting yesterday that it had agreed to demand that the heads of the Gynaecological and Obstetrical Unit and the Maternal Nursing Unit give up their posts as they have reportedly ignored all verbal and written complaints from the professionals who work there.

The Health Board meanwhile states that treatment has not been affected and there has been no change in the way women are looked after. “A high level of care is still offered, all pregnant ladies have been assisted by the midwives,” declared a spokesperson, mentioning that although the number of births at the hospital has dropped from 6,942 in 2003 to 4,834 in 2013, the ratio of midwives to births had not changed.

She also said that at this time there was an 80 per cent occupation rate on the three floors of the hospital dedicated to childbirth, and these floors were adequately staffed.