Except... that I work in a part of the service where 'targets' are generally a bit of a nonsense. Everyone thinks that what we want is a demonstrable good outcome- a live, healthy mum and baby. Unfortunately the 'outcomes' do not measure long term health or mental health. The damage caused by post-traumatic stress, postnatal depression, not breastfeeding, post-caesarean physical trauma and subsequent complications etc... all that costs millions, yet if the mother and baby are both 'well' at discharge that is all that is counted as an 'outcome'. We know that women tell a different story about what they consider to be good outcomes. We know that what improves long term outcomes and saves money is continuity of care, more home birth, more choice and being able to take responsibility for self. Yet because we're not a 'sexy' service, and our outcomes are not easily changeable or measurable (becuase you can't cut waiting lists in maternity), we're a bit bottom of the pile for the number crunchers. Claire, Midwife