New baby boom to put 'enormous' strain on NHS

Key

Question 1

a)       False. Midwives are warning that the trend is continuing and will swell births to more than 700,000 in England this year - the first time that level has been reached since 1971

b)       False. Today’s midwives simply have never seen anything like it.

c)       False. Some NHS trusts are reducing vacancies, meaning a sixth of new midwives have been looking for a job for more than three months.

d)       True. Dr Dan Poulter, the health minister, yesterday announced at extra £25 million would be spent on maternity wards to build ensuite facilities, rooms for partners to stay overnight and birthing pools.

Question 2

a)       The main reason that the number of births is rising is that people are coming to live in the UK from abroad.

b)       New additions to buildings will provide bathrooms for rooms, rooms for father to sleep in and swimming pools where mothers can give birth.

Question 3

a)  rate(s)    b)  clear    c)  albeit

Question 4

a) The main reason for the rise in birth rates is immigration.
b) Cathy Warwick said that today’s midwives simply had never seen anything like it and that she really believed that they were at the limit of what maternity services could safely deliver.
c) Midwife numbers could actually fall in some places due to cost-cutting.

If cost are cut, then midwife numbers could actually fall in some places.