Mothers forced to give birth in hospital waiting room where there was 'insufficient space to care for them'

A hospital where mothers 'regularly' gave birth in public waiting rooms has been criticised for putting women and their babies at risk.
A report to the board of King's College Hospital said the labour ward was running at 120 per cent occupancy 'most of the time' and that more beds were 'needed urgently'.
Expectant mothers were forced to have their children in public areas of the hospital after midwives told them the hospital was full up with people from 'out of area', the report revealed.

Mothers were forced to give birth in public areas at King's College Hospital, which was running at 120 per cent capacity 'most of the time'

Chiefs at the hospital in Southwark, south London, have now refused to take any out-of-area referrals.
The labour ward, which handles more than 6,000 births each year, was inundated with scores of women in labour turning up who were not on its books.

The report stated: 'Increasing demand for use of the maternity services at King's has resulted in there being insufficient space to care for all women appropriately when giving birth and accessing care.
'Women are labouring in the waiting room on a regular basis whilst waiting for a labour room, sometimes giving birth inappropriately in this area before a room is free.'