The Royal College of Midwives argues that mothers need close to 5,000 more midwives across the UK. (Mahalie, Flickr)

RADIO:

A new report by the National Audit Office has revealed that the NHS is spending nearly £700 on negligence cover on every live birth in the UK. The NAO said that from 2012-2013 this amounted to almost £500 million.

Staff shortages and the rising number of complications in births are resulting in increasing costs to the NHS and taxpayers.

Nima Green reports for VoR.

The NHS is spending nearly a fifth of its maternity budget on clinical negligence cover.

That’s according to a damning report by the National Audit Office, which warns that the number of legal claims has shot up 80 per cent over the last five years.

The report says that one of the most common reasons for claims are mistakes during labour, which can result in cerebral palsy.

This means that some of the payments are very large, as they have to cover the costs for the child for its entire life.

Public Accounts Committee chairwoman Margaret Hodge, said the NHS spending figures were “absolutely scandalous” and that many women are being let down.

[LISTEN HERE->]