The midwives and nurses’ union yesterday welcomed progress being made at the hospital’s maternity wards to solve what it says are overcrowding problems caused by unplanned induced deliveries.

The union said the Health Department was addressing the situation following its recommendations.

It said a register had been opened for planned inductions and non-urgent caesarean operations so these could be booked in advance. A specialist was assigned responsibility for the register to ensure deliveries would not cause overcrowding in the maternity wards.

The union said the department would also revise guidelines and protocols on inductions. Moreover, the system of assignment of the workload to the various specialists was also being improved.

It said such changes were expected to lead to better administration of the ward and safe practice, for the benefit of mothers, babies and staff.

The union said it would continue to monitor progress.

While calling for further recruitment of midwives, it said it also wanted to see the introduction of community midwifery-led clinics to improve services for expectant mothers.

The union had had last week given the Health Division an ultimatum for enforcing a registration system and guidelines on induced deliveries, threatening industrial action if that did not happen.