Part of 2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services – in the Senedd at 2:27 pm on 19 September 2018.
Following a campaign and a subsequent post on social media, I received numerous distressing e-mails from women who have suffered as a result of inadequate provision of support and suitable hospital beds for women experiencing miscarriage. One woman told me a harrowing story of being admitted to a hospital with a suspected miscarriage, only to be placed on a ward next to the labour unit. During the evening, in extreme pain, she was forced to see one of a pair of miscarried twins on the floor of a toilet. She described this as 'the most horrific, heart-breaking episode of my life', as I'm sure we can all imagine.
Yesterday, the campaign group, Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales, published their report with recommendations for improving miscarriage care. These include ensuring that early pregnancy units provide support services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines, improved emotional support and establishing recurrent pregnancy-loss clinics. Will you commit, Cabinet Secretary, to working with the campaigners on this important issue and to implement the recommendations in that report?