From our ever popular series “Questions In The Observer We Can Answer“:
Why is it so hard to allow mothers the kind of labour they want?
Catherine Bennett
Consumer desire is only met when producers have to take account of consumer desire in order to get their paycheques. Thus if we have a system where provision is planned based upon averages and population profiles, where everyone gets paid whatever the poor punter thinks about the goods or services being provided, very few will in fact gain what they really want.
The problem is inherent in the structure of the system. A government food service would not provide the 10,000 stock units that the average full service British supermarket offers. The government housing service known as the local council never did provide that delightful variability that is the marvel of our domestic architecture. A government health service will not provide consumer choice in the manner of giving birth. This is simply inherent in the structure of the system, choice isn’t what it is meant to deliver nor what it can.
Why is this so difficult for the posh birds who write for The Observer to understand?
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And you could add that in an enterprise where reward and advance is based on length of service and grade (where advancement to the latter is contingent on the former) rather than merit or industry, then mediocrity is the standard with few achieving it.
@TW
Cough average non-discount supermarket carrries 25,000 to 50,000 SKUs
Average discount supermarket carrries 1,000 to 2,000 SKUs
I'd imagine a Corbyn National Food Shop would carry <1,000 SKUs with many being Out of stock
weren't the Guardian the paper that was full-on about this whole earth-mother-have-your-kids-at-home-away-from-the-men-in-coats-and-their-evil-clinical-science?
I mean, who knew that not being near the very best clinical science was a risk?
Have a look at New Zealand system where mothers to be are assessed and if a low risk birth is probable , is assigned a midwife who looks after mother until after birth. A daughter used this and was very happy with results. It is cheaper for taxpayer, has equal or better outcomes for mother and child and mother gets birth she wants. OK, so remote areas not practical but mostly we are talking about urban areas.