From the Guardian yesterday:

NHS officials are shutting growing numbers of birth centres in a “shocking” denial of a woman’s right to have a midwife rather than a doctor oversee their baby’s birth, say campaigners.

Twelve birth centres – midwife-led maternity units – have closed in England since 2019. Birth centres play a key role in ensuring that women can choose whether to have their baby at a unit in a hospital run by doctors, at one where midwives are in charge, or at home. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/nov/07/nhs-birth-centre-maternity-unit-closures-england-womens-rights

Despite have 10 times the population, NHS Scotland has 29 midwife-led units while NHS England has only 25 as of the latest official figure.^{1, 2} Readers can ‘do the math.‘

Women’s right to an informed choice of setting is formally recognised in both Scotland and England. Scotland’s independent review and inspections provide a structured response mechanism for them that the Guardian article suggests is much less accessible in England.

Sources:

1. https://www.perinatalnetwork.nhs.scot/families/maternity-units/
2. https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-07-17/355