Received from: RCM
Merged into composite C08
Congress welcomes that:
i. places on UK midwifery courses have risen, increasing the domestic supply of midwives
ii. we are seeing more midwives in post, as increasing numbers qualify from these courses.
However, Congress notes that:
a. many midwifery students across the UK face significant financial hardship
b. fatigue and burnout caused by staff shortages undermine safety
c. NHS midwives and maternity support workers across the UK work an estimated 140,000 unpaid hours’ overtime per week, according to 2024 Royal College of Midwives (RCM) surveys.
Additionally, Congress is concerned at the findings of a UK-wide RCM survey, from May, of its final-year midwifery student members, that 84 per cent were not confident of securing a job as a midwife post-qualification.
Congress notes that many student midwives take on large amounts of debt to support themselves during their studies and that UK health services invest in them through clinical placements, and all that is for nothing if, faced with no offer of midwifery employment, newly qualified midwives start working in unrelated jobs out of financial necessity.
Congress therefore calls on UK governments to:
1. implement the recommendations of the RCM’s 2024 ‘State of UK midwifery student finance report’
2. ensure that all newly qualified midwives are offered employment as midwives
3. ensure healthcare workforce planning is improved to avoid stop-start training and recruitment.
Finally, Congress resolves to support the RCM’s work for properly staffed maternity services in all parts of the UK.
Royal College of Midwives