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1 of 5 Photo: Jessica Gow/TT
The number of births in Stockholm is going down – but not the number of births who are sent around due to lack of space.
Over 700 women have been without a place to give birth so far in 2022.
– It can involve risks for the birthing mothers, says Anja Lundström from the Association of Midwives.
Unfortunately it is full. That phrase is still encountered in Stockholm.
Here you have the country’s biggest problem with so-called referrals, where women in labor are forced to give birth at a clinic other than the one they chose.
Although the number of births is now decreasing, the number of referrals has not.
This year, 706 births were also not able to be referred. This means that they have been given birth in a clinic that does not really have the resources to receive them.
The reasons can be several. It could be that the clinics are full or that the woman cannot be moved for medical reasons.
Anxiety during childbirth
Last fall, the latest midwifery call took place, which started with mass redundancies at Danderyd Hospital. The turbulent situation may have contributed to more referrals, according to delivery coordinator Nicole Silverstolpe.
– There has been a shortage of places and a great deal of anxiety in the delivery stage at the beginning of the year. Mothers had to be moved in order to have peace of mind at Danderyd. In addition, Karolinska in Solna needed more referrals during the summer, she says.
– The goal is for everyone to get food where they want it. What we can see is, after all, that the very, very most people get to do it. Almost one hundred percent are born in Stockholm, continues Nicole Silverstolpe.
According to the trade unions Vårdförbundet and Swedish Midwives Association, there may be risks with referrals for the birthing mother. The trade unions also see a great deal of stress and anxiety.
It could be that the woman giving birth is encouraged to stay at home longer into labor than desired. Some families then show up at the birth anyway.
– Suddenly they are just standing on the threshold. They become desperate and the staff are under ethical stress, says Anja Lundström, vice chairwoman of the Swedish Midwives Association’s Stockholm local association.
Have to wait in the corridor
The Association of Midwives testifies about families who have to wait in the corridor or in the waiting room. Some do not get a place in a delivery room, but are forced to give birth in a space without the same care opportunities.
– The midwife who will take care of the family may already have one or two women in active labor. There is a risk that they will not receive quality-assured care, and is far from one midwife per birth, says Anja Lundström.
Talla Alkurdi (S), is a newly appointed health care regional councilor in Region Stockholm. The budget work is ongoing, but she states that the new majority will take measures to try to overcome the lack of places.
– We must ensure that we improve the working situation for midwives and assistant nurses in maternity care. That we can staff more and better, says Alkurdi.
“For us, it’s in a hurry”
Two of the parts deal with deepening the work with the so-called eight-point program that was developed to improve maternity care and to review the compensation for the maternity clinics.
TT: If I ask you in a year. Will the number of referrals within maternity care in Region Stockholm be fewer then?
– That is definitely the goal we are working towards. For us, it’s a rush. But I cannot here and now give you a date. I wish I could do that, says Talla Alkurdi.
New maternity clinic can relieve the burden
In the spring of 2023, a new maternity clinic will open in the region, BB S:t Göran, which will provide more maternity places. But the staff there must be taken from somewhere.
– Then we may have even more lack of places at the other clinics, which does not reduce the referrals. The fundamental problem remains, that the midwives do not return to maternity care in Stockholm, says Anja Lundström at the Midwives Association.
Facts
Referrals
Referrals in maternity care are about women having to give birth at a maternity clinic other than the one they have chosen due to lack of space or staff.
Referrals can be made to another maternity clinic in the same county, or to another county.
In 2020, Region Stockholm reported for the first time statistics on the keywords “unable to refer” in the records system. It is about women who were taken in by the care provider even though they did not have sufficient capacity.
From 1 September 2022, the administration within the Stockholm Region will no longer follow the figure “cannot be referred”. One of the reasons for this is that it is not possible to distinguish between patients admitted for medical reasons or for organizational reasons.
Source: Region Stockholm, TT
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