Maternal Choice in the UK Should Be Promoted Despite the Current Era of Financial Austerity

摘要

With the ‘Nicholson challenge’ to cut costs by ￡20 billion over four years definingthe current financial climate of the NHS,1 spiralling healthcare costs must be contained. Part of the reason for these increases is that the most modern interventionsare often demanded by patients, even when the incremental health benefits are faroutweighed by their cost. Maternity care is a major success of western medicine,and widespread maternal choice of location and type of treatment is increasinglyexpected in the developed world, and approved in recent NICE guidance6. Thoughdesirable to many, rarely in medicine is such a choice available where patients maydemand that which is not clinically indicated, and for it to be provided free of charge.