Hospital unable to offer epidurals

Mothers-to-be are being denied epidurals because of a lack of anaesthetists.

An investigation by the Daily Mail found that the problem at Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle has been going on for at least three years.

Women planning to give birth at the hospital, which delivers 1,600 babies a year, are told no epidurals are available because of a lack of senior anaesthetists. They are needed because the procedure involves injecting a drug directly into the spine.

The failure flouts guidance from four Royal Colleges, including the Royal College of Midwives and the Royal College of Obstetricians, that women should have access to an epidural within 30 minutes of requesting one.

It adds to mounting concern about the quality of NHS maternity care, with midwives in some hospitals expected to attend to three women in labour at the same time due to staff shortages.

Maggie Blott, vice-president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said last night: "An epidural service should be a routine part of maternity care.

"There will be some women who are extremely traumatised by not having an epidural, particularly if they have a long and difficult labour. I would think women who have such labours have psychological problems afterwards."

Other pain relief is available at the Cumberland Infirmary but Dr Blott said it would not be as effective as an epidural and may have drawbacks.

The Trust declined to give details about why epidurals were not provided, but said there were plans to restore the service.