Record number of midwives quit due to stress of the job
Fears for women’s lives as hundreds walk away
MIDWIFE numbers are reaching a dangerous level which could put lives at risk, as records show more staff leaving than joining the profession for the first time in a decade.
As a record number suffer burnout and leave, the figures from NHS Digital show almost 300 more staff abandoned midwifery than joined the service, with 3,440 leaving and only 3,144 coming in.
Analysis of the data showed a record 551 resigned in 2021 because of a lack of work-life balance.
The latest provisional figures show pregnant women have the threaten the safety of women equivalent of 21,685 full-time having babies. There is a midwives in England – down shortage of around 2,000 midwives, 551 on 12 months previously. the RCM says.
Midwives working in NHS Joeli Brearley, chief executive trust maternity units typically of campaign group Pregnant work 12-hour shifts, but many Then Screwed, said: work longer for no additional ‘We don’t have enough midwives, pay to cover staff shortages and those we do have and to keep services running. are underpaid, undervalued
The Royal College of Midwives and overworked. (RCM) says members ‘This is a problem that has are ‘at the end of their tether’ been communicated to the and ‘physically and emotionally Government repeatedly for burnt out’. years. It is putting the lives of
While some midwives who women and their babies in quit stay in the NHS and simply danger and causing untold move trusts, there are damage to their mental and warnings the exodus of those physical health. The Government who leave permanently could needs to get a grip of the situation urgently before there are more tragedies.’
Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients’ Association, said: ‘Without enough midwives, support for mumsto-be will be inadequate, partnership with patients becomes difficult, care provided is unlikely to be compassionate, and we worry that care could drop to such a level that it’s no longer safe.’
Alice Sorby, of the RCM, said: ‘ We have warned the Government time and time again that midwives, maternity support workers and all those working in maternity services are at the end of their tether, that they are physically and emotionally burnt out.
‘Maternity services cannot be run on the cheap. It is not safe and it is not sustainable.
‘The Government needs to set out a clear, costed action plan of how they intend to improve things.’
The findings come after a Care Quality Commission report warned mothers and babies were being put at risk, with almost half of maternity units potentially unsafe.
Regulators rated 80 out of 193 NHS maternity services as ‘ inadequate’ or ‘ requires improvement’ in their latest inspections. The low grades mean they do not meet basic safety standards, with some still failing years after problems were first identified.
The Department of Health and Social Care said: ‘ Supporting the mental health and wellbeing of staff, including midwives, is a key priority.
‘We are aiming to hire 1,200 more midwives and 100 consultant obstetricians with a £95 million recruitment drive, on top of a £127 million NHS investment in maternity services over the next year.’
‘Not safe and not sustainable’