Support workers in maternity services.

Reductions in doctors' hours and length of training and reconfigurations of obstetric and neonatal services in the UK have led to practitioners taking on new clinical roles. The need to free midwives' time for their extending clinical roles has led to greater use of support workers. These workers are increasingly assisting with clinical as well as clerical and administrative tasks but their training and responsibilities are variable. A recent scoping study of these workers in NHS Trusts in England, discussed here by its authors, reveals that managers welcome the support workers' contribution to maternity care, for example through breast-feeding support in the community, helping to provide continuity of care and one-to-one care in labour, attending at home births, assisting in obstetric theatres and running antenatal and postnatal groups. However, a national framework is needed to ensure governance, Research is also needed into the impact of support workers on outcomes for mothers and babies, the cost-effectiveness of the role, and the experience of mothers.