Hospital trust criticised last year for promoting 'natural' labour over C-sections under fire again after advertising for a maternity doctor with 'a desire to promote normal birth'

A scandal-hit hospital trust has come under fire yet again after advertising for a maternity doctor with "a desire to promote normal birth". 

Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said it was seeking an obstetrics and gynaecology consultant in its high risk baby unit who would support "active" labour.

Yet safe birth campaigners have reacted with fury online, claiming 'normal' has become a codeword for 'natural' birth — a fixation which has led to many midwives frowning on medical intervention and caesareans, even when needed. 

This 'obsession', they add, has been linked to failures at a number of maternity units in recent years where hundreds of babies died, major inquiries have found. 

The trust was embroiled in a similar controversy last year after Winchester's Royal Hampshire County Hospital faced a claim of unfair dismissal by a former consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist. 

Martyn Pitman, who had worked at the hospital for 20 years, was sacked last March after raising concerns about midwifery care and patient safety at the hospital. 

In a post on X, Catherine Roy linked to the advert, adding: "Where Martyn Pitman used to work. The takeover by normal birth is now complete I think. What a scandal."

In response, consultant paediatrician Dr Ravi Jayaram, whose evidence helped catch convicted serial baby-killer Lucy Letby at Countess of Chester Hospital, said: "Anyone who applies for this should be immediately excluded from consideration for the post."

He added: "[It] should read 'desire to support and promote safe birth' — if it needed to be said at all."

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Source: The MailOnline, 13 June 2024