Celebrities back petition for more midwife roles

Celebrities back petition for more midwife roles

Call the Midwife actress Jessica Raine became the latest celebrity today to join a campaign for more midwives in England today.

The star, who plays the lead role in the BBC drama series, signed the Royal College of Midwives online petition for 5,000 more roles to be created.

England and Arsenal footballer Theo Walcott (pictured) and his mother, a retired midwife, have also joined the campaign.

Mr Walcott said: "I have grown up knowing how important midwives are because my mum was a midwife for the NHS and also worked independently.

"She taught mums about healthy eating and giving babies the best start in life."

Lynn Walcott added that she wants to see all mothers and babies, regardless of class, social and racial background to receive the advice midwives give about breastfeeding and home birth.

She said: "The advice I received from midwives about breastfeeding set Theo up for life."

Director Sam Taylor-Johnson along with actors Pam Ferris, Stephen McGann and Terri Dwyer have also signed the petition, which currently has over 67,000 signatures but needs 100,000 by August 22.

RCM general secretary Cathy Warwick said: "Many women are not currently getting one-to-one midwifery care in labour or choice of place of birth.

"We also know many women do not always get the best care at the vital time after the birth of their baby, especially once they go home.

"It is pointless training more midwives if they cannot get employment.

"We believe that in order to deliver the high-quality maternity care for mothers and babies proposed by the government, we need 5,000 more midwives."

To sign the e-petition visit epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/13716.

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Posted by Fahad Zafar on Aug 18 2012. Filed under Entertainment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry