THE risk assessment criteria for home births is due to be updated so that only those who meet “strict safety guidelines” are considered for the service when it is reinstated, it has emerged.
Following a request made under the Freedom of Information Law by JEP sister brand Bailiwick Express, the government has made public its review report into the suspension of the home birth service.
Prepared by midwifery director Roslyn Bullen-Bell, the report provides an “in-depth overview of the circumstances” that led to the service suspension in October 2024.
It revealed that the decision was prompted by a combination of staffing shortages, training deficiencies, and equipment and infrastructure concerns.
The report highlighted “several training-related gaps” within the midwifery service, “significant concerns regarding workforce fatigue”, “long-standing” issues with staff retention and recruitment, and a “reliance on agency staff to fill gaps in the workforce”.
The document also set out a series of steps that must be completed before Jersey’s home birth service can be reinstated.
These include a full review of staffing to ensure the service can be sustainably delivered, targeted training for midwives in emergency and home birth-specific skills, and a comprehensive audit of equipment to confirm it meets safety standards.
Updated clinical guidelines will be finalised and shared with staff, while new transport and emergency escalation plans will be developed in partnership with the ambulance service.
As part of the planned improvements, the risk assessment criteria will be updated to ensure only those who meet “strict safety guidelines” are offered home births.
“This will help to mitigate potential risks by ensuring that any underlying health conditions or complications that could arise during delivery are appropriately identified and managed,” according to the report.
Ms Bullen-Bell described the service suspension as a “necessary and responsible step” to ensure the “long-term sustainability and safety” of Jersey’s home birth service.
“By addressing current challenges related to staffing, training, equipment, and infrastructure, and by updating the service guidelines, we are committed to creating a more robust and reliable home birth service for the future,” she added.
The midwifery director explained that, once improvements are in place, a review will be carried out in the third quarter of this year in the hopes of reinstating the service.
