Truth about Albany Midwives

[peckham_mum]

I would like to put out some truth to the melle of general bullshit that might be stirring and midwife dunking that seems to be occuring...lets tell it as it is...As someone else has posted the Albany midwives need our support, they need funds to pay their lawyers so that they can sue the arse off Kings for slander, just as Wendy Savage did all those many years ago in 1986 and won. ( Please google her) This is all about POWER and DOMINANCE. Please lets not deny that it is anything else but that.

ASSOCIATION FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MATERNITY SERVICES

5 Ann?s Court, Grove Road, Surbiton, Surrey, KT6 4BE

Tel: 020 8390 9534 email: [email protected]

www.aims.org.uk

PRESS RELEASE

Immediate Release - 7th December 2009

SAFETY OF DISADVANTAGED WOMEN AND BABIES IS THREATENED BY KING?S CLOSURE OF THE ALBANY MIDWIFERY PRACTICE

King?s College Hospital has abruptly severed its contract with the Albany Midwifery Practice

with no prior consultation with women ? and without proper provision in place to replace the

service ? leaving expectant and new mothers in the lurch and anxious about receiving

appropriate care.

The Albany Midwifery Practice has been shown to offer the Gold Standard of care to around 200 women in Peckham each year. It provides an outstanding service which enables women to be cared for by a midwife they know. Women who use this service are enabled to make their own decisions about the place to birth. It is unacceptable to withdraw such a safe and much needed service from the poorest women in society.

The Albany Midwives? care has provided women-centred care for women from deeply disadvantaged backgrounds for twelve years.Peckham ranks as the fourteenth most deprived district of 354 districts in England.

The statistics speak for themselves:

Albany Midwifery Practice

Caesarean section rate 14.4% 24.1%

King?s College Hospital 24.1%

Albany-Breastfeeding rates 80% at 28 days 35% at 7 days

Kings-35% at 7 days

Albany-Perinatal Mortality 4.9 per 1000 (1997-2007)

Kings-7.9 per 1000 (England and Wales 2006)

11.4 per 1000 (Southwark 2003-2005)

The Practice ...

The Practice offers women a chance to have care from a midwife they know and to have their full attention throughout labour. Between 40% and 50% of these women choose to have their babies at home.

?I feel blessed and truly privileged to have had the Albany midwives care for me during my pregnancy. They are an amazing group who go out of their way to treat their women (and our families) with the care and consideration we deserve during our pregnancies. I know for a fact that I wouldn?t have had the confidence to resist an instrumental delivery if I had not been so well informed and supported during my pregnancy and labour. I also know that I wouldn?t be the confident mother I am today if I had not met the Albany midwives. They have made a profound impact on my life and if I am blessed with a further pregnancy I wouldn?t hesitate in trusting them again with my care. ?(Serra)

The Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services is concerned that these women may well find themselves in hospital where one-to-one care in labour is not offered. The Health Care Commission Report showed that over a third of women in King?s were left alone in labour or shortly after birth and were frightened. Already the UK maternal death statistics show that women in these disadvantaged groups are more than six times more likely to die in childbirth. All these deaths took place in hospital.

In order to justify the suspension of the service King?s College Hospital appears to be trying to make the case that the service is unsafe. They have looked at a selected number of Albany cases admitted to their Special Care Baby Unit and asked the Centre for Maternal and Child Enquiries ( CMACE) to investigate.

We understand, however, that they have not examined the deaths of babies that have occurred in the King?s unit nor the babies from there who were also admitted to the Special Care Baby Unit. Nor do we have what AIMS believes is crucial data ? comparative rates of mental illness after childbirth, where we believe the Albany is likely to have far better results.

This action mirrors the attempt, in 1985, by obstetricians at The London Hospital to strike off Wendy Savage, a consultant obstetrician, who provided the kind of care that women wanted and who also had a far lower caesarean section rate than her colleagues.

?The suspension of one of the Albany Midwives and cessation of their practice reminds me of my own suspension in 1985. The same intolerance to alternative ways of providing maternity care, despite comparable outcomes for the babies and lower Caesarean section rates, the same technique of selecting cases with adverse outcomes without looking at the overall care, and the same refusal to look at what the women themselves want. I hope that King?s will listen to those who consider this suspension an outrage and reinstate the midwife and the service immediately.?

Wendy Savage MBBCh MSc HonDSc FRCOG

King?s has claimed that it has suspended the service because it has the safety of the mothers and babies at heart. The Albany Midwifery Practice has long been acknowledged as a centre of excellence, yet King?s management is unwilling to provide this standard of care for more women, and instead is trying to remove it so that women have no choice but to accept medicalised care

The reality is that King?s College Hospital?s action in withdrawing the Albany Contract has put

women and babies at increased risk.

AIMS demands that King?s College Hospital releases the CMACE Report and the comparable statistics for its own consultant unit so that data from both services can be examined objectively.

Contact: Beverley Beech, Email: [email protected]

[sb]

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[Dulwich Born And Bred]

I had bad experiences with Kings on FOUR separate occasions and different departments so I have no faith in them. Did not help reading the newspaper the other day to hear one of their own midwives committed suicide because Kings did not inform her that she was not to blame for the death of a baby in her care.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1234219/New-midwife-hangs-hospital-fails-tell-blame-sick-babys-death.html

Pretty amazing how we all have completely different experiences about a hospital, for you it was fantastic, for me it was hell. I still have one investigation ongoing with regards to Kings and very nearly losing my son at the hands of a Doctor when he was rushed to A&E with an infection.

Its a shame about the Albany Midwives as I know people who have used them and they had nothing but good thiings to say about them.

[intexasatthe moment]

Lots on Breakfast Show BBC london this morning about this.

7.20 am and 8.10am for those wishing to listen again when it's available.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/radio/bbc_london/?http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/london_aod.shtml?london/breakfast

[R&A]

http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/uk/mothers+protest+at+maternity+closure/3453242

Summary if the link doesn't work:

According to this report Kings are claiming that Albany had a significantly higher no. of babies admitted to their neonatal ward. Albany have said that Kings are 'cherry picking' evidence and that stats are not real.

Government policy has been to give all woman the choice to have babies at home which Albany have been promoting

A midwife then said that it smacked of doctors bullying midwives again

[Belle]

Heidi - that had happened just before I had my baby - all the midwives were v upset about it, understandably.

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

Belle, good midwives are like gold dust, especially since we do not have enough of them. There is just a huge lack of communication when it comes to Kings I find.

[dmr]

Hello All

It is not the Albany saying that King's were cherry picking the data, it was Leoni Penna, King's obstetritian, that said so (actually she said that she "hand picked" the cases), in a Kings, Guys & St Thomas's MSLC (maternity services liaison committee) meeting on Thursday 26th of November. Leoni Penna, and I suppose her team, are the ones that commisioned this report and provided the data for it. Interesting to know that this company is now private and therefore is being paid. In the report, however, they estate that "The study methodology employed does not lend itself to a meaningful statistical analysis" but still they went ahead compiling a report based on the data given...I can't blame them, as a private company they need the money!

Previous independent reports of the practice show amazing figures. Albany Mums did their research and it can be seen on their website www.savethealbany.org.uk.

Furthermore in that meeting Leoni Penna kept refering to the sad death of a baby which was refered to in the Channel 4 piece (or was it the Guardian's?), http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/video/2009/dec/07/albany-midwives) as an example of the Midwives supposedly bad practice (well, if there were so many of them you would think there would be loads to pick from). I am glad to say that the Midwives involved in this case have since been cleared of any wrong doings!

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

Oh my goodness, I know Leoni Penna as I was under her care for a short while....we had a run in after the break down of my episiotomy in which I was hospitalised for a really bad infection a few days after giving birth. The less I say about my run in, the better I guess!

[Mellors]

I also came across Leoni Penna during my second pregnancy and thought she was really excellent, so again, it seems different experiences for different people. I find it hard to form an opinion on this when there seems to be so much conflicting information.

[Fuschia]

Leonie was my consultant with the twins and I found her to be very supportive of different choices (in my case, natural birth with minimal intervention while another twin mum I know was supported in an elective ceasarean)

I think I've seen it posted that the full report that's the crux of the matter should be issued.. it's impossible to tell what the nature of the accusations are without seeing it... it's presumably NOT that there has been a higher rate of particular problems from the albany babies, as other evidence shows that's not the case (and you'd need to compare with a sample of smilar cases to determine that anyway)

There's no doubt that the Albany midwives have excelled at supportive, women-focussed care. I hope it's possible to get to the bottom of the issues that have been raised. I'm not really clear, even, if they're accused of negligence of some sort or kings has just not renewed their contract.. i pls post any more links people find!!

[sandy_rose]

I'm booked with the Albany and my midwife told me Kings have terminated their contract with them, the reason being they have decided to no longer contract any independent midwife groups. Something to do with the ability to control procedures, and not due to the findings of the report. Also, the Albany midwives have all been offered work at Kings or other group practices in the area, so they can't be that concerned about their work.

[peckham_mum]

Dear Sandy Rose,

They can be bothered, thanks.

[The Nappy Lady]

Peckham mum, think Sandy Rose means Kings cannot have many concerns about Albany Midwives work if offering other posts to them....think you may have misinterpreted?

Molly

peckham_mum Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Dear Sandy Rose,

>

> They can be bothered, thanks.

[antijen]

http://gopetition.com/petitions/save-the-albany-midwifery-practice/sign.html

On line petition

[power_parent]

We had a baby with the Albany and they were incredibly caring, well organised and professional. Something that we can't say of our experience of the midwives and doctors at King's.

When we were at the Labour Ward at King's there was blood on the walls, the door to our birthing room was broken, which didn't matter cos people were coming in and out because they were storing equipment in there, too. it was a nightmare. the midwives at King's were stressed, tired, sarcastic and confused :( and the doctors treated them and us like time wasters. It won't have been like this for everyone, but I haven't heard of anybody who was treated like that by the Albany.

SIGN THE PETITION!

More about the campaign here

News reports on youtube

[maisiemoo]

I don't know about the Albany midwives but I do know I had a horrendous experience at King's with their midwives during the birth of my son that lead to four months of counseling for PTSD. I will never have another baby in that hospital. I was made to feel as though I was being a drama queen when in fact my son had turned back to back during my 32 hours in labour and was jammed stuck with the cord wrapped around his neck. I went in positive, excited and came out a different person. The care was sarcastic, the pain-relief took far too long to come and the labour lacked communication and empathy. Never again.

[sb]

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[Carrot]

One low risk baby who ends up in the intensive care unit with serious medical consequences which were preventable is one to many, multiple is criminal. Far too little too late.

[power_parent]

Carrot Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> One low risk baby who ends up in the intensive

> care unit with serious medical consequences which

> were preventable is one to many, multiple is

> criminal. Far too little too late.

That's right, Carrot. I agree, they should shut down King's!

A perinatal mortality rate of 7.9 per 1000 at King?s, compared to 4.9 per 1000 at the Albany? King's is ridding itself of the superior competition and the direct comparison, because they are not meeting their improvement targets.

[mumof3girlies]

I just want to respond to some recent posts - firstly WE ALL want to see an objective report about this 'Albany stuff' The Albany are being honest, open and have presented all their statistics and figures for perusal and analysis, however it is KINGS that have not done this - where were they in the media yesterday? they were asked but declined, I know this because I participated in the radio and television input. Kings have forbidden the Albany Midwives to share the results of their 'report' on the grounds of confidentiality, which is convenient, however the report is anything but scientific, anybody with an ounce of knowledge about research knows that you need to use a cohort of a large number of women for it to be scientifically significant, i.e. at least 500-1000. I understand they used a selected number of approximately 30 women having babies with the Albany. A statistician who analysed the report questioned the sources of the figures presented and stated that it was impossible to draw any reasonable conclusions from the figures and facts presented. Until Kings present PUBLICLY their 'evidence' about the Albany's practice, it is impossible for there to be a truly fair discussion and debate about the situation. In the meantime all I can say is that I had all 3 of my babies with the Albany, and they were excellent every time, they were safe, professional, kind and compassionate, at no point did I feel that they took risks or were cavalier in their midwifery practice, I feel that I am able to comment on this as I used to be a midwife. Furthermore, although I never worked at Kings, but sadly in every hospital mistakes are made and babies are put at risk - I am not excusing this but illustrating that hospital is not always a completely safe place to have a baby. Finally, sadly it is a tragic fact that even in a developed country it is impossible to have 0% mortality rate of babies, all that can be done is strive to maintain the mortality rate at an exceptionally low rate - 4.8 per 1000 like the Albany compared to 11 per 1000 in the borough of Southwark. I just wanted to finish with the point that I have read nothing but positive reports of women who have had their babies with the Albany, however I have lost count of posts and reports of women who experienced horrific/shambolic/uncaring treatment in Kings. To mirror what power_parent said the organisation with the higher perinatal mortality rate should be closed down, not the Albany.

[Aloha]

peckham_mum Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

>

> The Albany Midwives? care has provided

> women-centred care for women from deeply

> disadvantaged backgrounds for twelve years.Peckham

> ranks as the fourteenth most deprived district of

> 354 districts in England.

I do worry about using the 'disadvantage' card in this argument. From my own experience, and from all the publicity to date it does appear that the Albany is a service that is overwhelmingly used (and defended) by middle class, socially and economically affluent women in the area, who are aware of this service and are educated to make and push for informed choices.

Nothing wrong with that - choice is for everyone. But from a PR point of view, if the 'disadvantage' card is to be played, might be a good idea to use voices from a broader selection of the community - those women who truly are at a disadvantage, and would benefit from such a service.

Good luck to the Albany in its fight.

[Fuschia]

I attended a couple of antenatal groups at Albany, my experience of the women there was that they were very much a random selection of women from the locality.

[The Nappy Lady]

Well said mumof3......it never ceases to amaze me that even this day and age with so much media etc.

issues can so easily be 'swept under the carpet'. Your argument is so clear and rationale.

Molly

mumof3girlies Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I just want to respond to some recent posts -

> firstly WE ALL want to see an objective report

> about this 'Albany stuff' The Albany are being

> honest, open and have presented all their

> statistics and figures for perusal and analysis,

> however it is KINGS that have not done this -

> where were they in the media yesterday? they were

> asked but declined, I know this because I

> participated in the radio and television input.

> Kings have forbidden the Albany Midwives to share

> the results of their 'report' on the grounds of

> confidentiality, which is convenient, however the

> report is anything but scientific, anybody with an

> ounce of knowledge about research knows that you

> need to use a cohort of a large number of women

> for it to be scientifically significant, i.e. at

> least 500-1000. I understand they used a selected

> number of approximately 30 women having babies

> with the Albany. A statistician who analysed the

> report questioned the sources of the figures

> presented and stated that it was impossible to

> draw any reasonable conclusions from the figures

> and facts presented. Until Kings present PUBLICLY

> their 'evidence' about the Albany's practice, it

> is impossible for there to be a truly fair

> discussion and debate about the situation. In the

> meantime all I can say is that I had all 3 of my

> babies with the Albany, and they were excellent

> every time, they were safe, professional, kind and

> compassionate, at no point did I feel that they

> took risks or were cavalier in their midwifery

> practice, I feel that I am able to comment on this

> as I used to be a midwife. Furthermore, although I

> never worked at Kings, but sadly in every hospital

> mistakes are made and babies are put at risk - I

> am not excusing this but illustrating that

> hospital is not always a completely safe place to

> have a baby. Finally, sadly it is a tragic fact

> that even in a developed country it is impossible

> to have 0% mortality rate of babies, all that can

> be done is strive to maintain the mortality rate

> at an exceptionally low rate - 4.8 per 1000 like

> the Albany compared to 11 per 1000 in the borough

> of Southwark. I just wanted to finish with the

> point that I have read nothing but positive

> reports of women who have had their babies with

> the Albany, however I have lost count of posts and

> reports of women who experienced

> horrific/shambolic/uncaring treatment in Kings. To

> mirror what power_parent said the organisation

> with the higher perinatal mortality rate should be

> closed down, not the Albany.

[mumof3girlies]

It is a very fair point Aloha and very salient, but I would say historically, it always tends to be the middle class women who do the shouting and fighting for causes where women are being disadvantaged. Fuschia is absolutely right Albany do serve a really broad section of the community and all ethnic groups and backgrounds are all equally represented. We are seeking to balance our campaign with more representation from other groups of women. Thank you for your support. Thank you Molly for your support too.