Photo: Midwives aim to stay a helping hand pablogv2004

Hundreds of people attended a protest march yesterday in support of the pioneering Albany Midwifery Practise – closed down by Kings College Hospital earlier this year.

The ‘Reclaiming Birth Rally called for the re-opening of the Albany practice as well as the adoption of their maternity model as a standard. The practise was the only independent group of midwives to offer personalised continuous care to women on the NHS.

The organisers say the march, which went from Lambeth to a rally in Whitehall, was an opportunity for bodies like the Royal College of Midwifery and National Childbirth Trust as well as parents to lend their support for the Albany midwives

The Albany Mums, a group of mothers who received pregnancy care from the Peckham-based practise said in a statement: “We believe that a widespread adoption of the Albany Midwifery Model is the answer to many of the problems that currently beset the UK’s maternity services. That’s why the Albany mums will be calling for an ‘Albany for All.’

Annie Francis from Independent Midwives UK said the aim of the ‘Reclaiming Birth Rally’ was not just about support of the Albany midwifery practice. “It is the model of the Albany that we are supporting. All evidence shows that it’s the gold standard of midwifery.”

The hospital said the closure was for safety reasons following the death of a week-old baby whose birth had been supervised by an Albany midwife. The practice said the death was unrelated to the involvement of the midwife.