Midwife crisis ‘puts babies at risk’
THE crisis in maternity care is a “national emergency”, midwives declared – as they made their voices heard across Britain.
March with Midwives supporters yesterday urged the Government to tackle staffing shortages and safety on maternity units.
They held up placards at gatherings in Birmingham, Manchester and London’s Parliament Square.
A spokeswoman for the group said: “Giving birth in the UK, a high-income country, is becoming critically unsafe. This is unacceptable.
“Where women, birthing people and babies are at risk their families, communities and countries become sick.We call on the Government to implement urgent crisis management and resources. Government promises are not being kept and the All Party Parliamentary Group for Maternity must take responsibility for their silence and call for immediate action.”
Jon Skewes, executive director for external relations at the Royal College of Midwives, backed the protests.The RCM recently found 57 per cent of midwives plan to quit, most after less than five years in the job.
He said: “NHS Trusts and Boards have relied on the goodwill of staff, and their genuine love of what they do, to maintain services – but staff are reaching the end of their tether.
“The UK and national Governments have to do more, not only to train and recruit new midwives into the NHS, but to retain the ones we have.”
Earlier this month, data from the Nursing and Midwifery Council showed the total number of nurses and midwives leaving the professions has risen to its highest point since 2017.