Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 08 May 2019
08 May 2019 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Support for Midwives
I thank Kezia Dugdale and Monica Lennon for their interventions, which I will take in turn.
I would certainly support and echo what Ms Dugdale said. It is very important that we ensure that women are able to plan their pregnancies in a safe and manageable way. Indeed, that is why we have free contraception in this country and why we think it important that midwives also play a role in educating women about their fertility, particularly in the postnatal period.
As for Ms Lennon’s intervention, the £12 million is an initial investment in the four early adopter sites, and we expect additional moneys to come to the other boards. However, we must recognise that that is not an addition to current midwifery care—it is transformational funding that will turn this into the new normal for the delivery of maternity care.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Linda Fabiani)
SNP
The next item of business is a debate on motion S5M-17191, in the name of Monica Lennon, on urgent support for Scotland’s midwives. This is a tight debate, s...
Monica Lennon (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Sunday was international day of the midwife, and I enjoyed seeing my social media feeds filled with cute baby photos and lovely sentiments about the special ...
The Minister for Mental Health (Clare Haughey)
SNP
I thank Monica Lennon for highlighting the international day of the midwife. In Scotland, we are very fortunate to have highly educated, skilled and compass...
Kezia Dugdale (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
Will the minister take an intervention?
Monica Lennon
Lab
Will the minister take an intervention?
Clare Haughey
SNP
Do I have time, Presiding Officer?
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
If you wish to do so, minister.
Clare Haughey
SNP
Yes, I will take an intervention.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I call Kezia Dugdale.
Kezia Dugdale
Lab
Does the minister recognise the role of midwives in providing postnatal contraception for women, particularly those in poorer communities? If so, how will sh...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I am sorry, minister—I believe that I called Kezia Dugdale instead of Monica Lennon. Would you like to deal with both interventions?
Clare Haughey
SNP
Do I have time?
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I will give you time.
Monica Lennon
Lab
I appreciate the minister’s explanation of future funding, but I was struck by the use of the word “if” in the amendment with regard to the plans being succe...
Clare Haughey
SNP
I thank Kezia Dugdale and Monica Lennon for their interventions, which I will take in turn. I would certainly support and echo what Ms Dugdale said. It is v...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Please wind up now, minister.
Clare Haughey
SNP
I know that the vast majority of midwives, maternity professionals and key stakeholders such as the Royal College of Midwives, the National Childbirth Trust ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
No, minister.
Clare Haughey
SNP
In that case, I move amendment S5M-17191.2, to leave out from “understands that only” to end and insert: “agrees that the contribution of 600 NHS staff, 600...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
We are running out of time. Again, I apologise to all for the error that I made. 16:37
Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Con)
Con
I very much welcome this debate on Scotland’s midwives and maternity services, and I thank the Labour Party for bringing it forward. I want to start by echo...
Clare Haughey
SNP
The member should be aware that we have more qualified nurses and midwives working in our NHS, with the figure up 7.9 per cent to more than 44,000 full-time ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Minister, we are very limited for time. Mr Briggs, you still have only four minutes.
Miles Briggs
Con
The key statistic that the minister needs to understand is the 114 midwives that we are short of and the pressure that that is putting on staff across our co...
Alison Johnstone (Lothian) (Green)
Green
I welcome the debate and thank Monica Lennon for bringing the issue to Parliament. I, too, thank Scotland’s midwives for the incredible work that they do. T...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
You must close, please.
Alison Johnstone
Green
It is imperative that we do all that we can to properly fund and resource midwifery services. 16:45
Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
LD
I am grateful to the Labour Party for bringing the debate to Parliament, and I assure it of our support. The debate comes hot on the heels of the internation...
David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Lab
The International Confederation of Midwives created the concept of the international day of the midwife, to which previous speakers have referred. Across the...
Emma Harper (South Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I chose to speak in the debate because I am concerned by the Labour party’s motion. I, too, acknowledge that 5 May was the international day of the midwife,...