As reported in the Chronicle & Echo last year, a PCT review has identified numbers of both midwives and midwifery support workers is below nationally recommended levels.
Northampton General Hospital was 36 midwives below the 'gold-standard' and ha
s since recruited 16 more staff.
The PCT said it would address the problem at NGH and Kettering General Hospital in the short term by committing cash during 2008/09 to boost midwife numbers from around 28 per 1000 births to 32 per 1000 births.
And with both trusts reporting midwifery support workers are "well below" the national average, the PCT is also seeking to increase capacity to 8.5 support workers per 1000 births.
A spokeswoman for the PCT said it was also committed to improving staffing levels between now and 2012.
She said: "Over the next three years the PCT will seek to improve levels for both staff groups to better match RCN and best practice guidance."
The PCT said it hoped concerns raised about maternity services in a recent watchdog review would be met by the new wave of staff.
She added: "A number of qualitative issues were raised through the Health Care Commission Review with the PCT anticipating improvement through increased midwifery staffing."
The full article contains 230 words and appears in Northampton Chron & Echo newspaper.
