For every 30 midwives trained, 29 are lost

New figures have shown that for every 30 midwives trained, the NHS are losing 29 as so many are leaving the NHS or retiring.

The research undertaken by the Royal College of Midwives has revealed that although an extra 2,000 midwives were trained in 2016/17, the total number of midwives rose by just 67 as so many had left the service.

Gill Walton, chief executive of the RCM, said “It is of deep concern that we’re only seeing an increase of about one NHS midwife for every 30 or so newly qualified midwives graduating from our universities. The problem is that so many existing midwives are leaving the service that the two things almost cancel each other out.”

This news came as official data published by NHS Improvement revealed over 107,000 vacancies within the NHS in England with one in eight nursing posts vacant.

NHS Providers’ chief executive Chris Hopson, said trusts are “doing all they can” to deal with workforce shortage, financial pressures and increasing demand.

“However hard they run, they don’t seem able to outpace the increase in demand. Trusts tell us they are most worried about the workforce shortages they face, and it’s a real concern that these figures have shown such a big increase in vacancy levels.”

Chief executive of NHS Improvements Ian Dalton, said “It’s worrying that this problem is getting worse rather than better. Staff are working extremely hard to cope with a rise in A&E attendances and high occupancy levels.”

A spokesman from the Department of Health and Social Care said “We are committed to making the NHS the safest place in the world to have a baby – that’s why earlier this year we announced a 25% increase in midwifery training places, starting with 650 more in 2019 and a plan to train 3,000 more over the next four years.”

Chadwick Lawrence’s team of medical negligence lawyers have years of experience in high value and complex medical negligence compensation claims and have an excellent record. The team is led by Tony May, a specialist cerebral palsy and birth injury solicitor, who has over 20 years experience in handling cases in which babies have been brain damaged or sustained other injuries as a result of medical negligence. He and his team continue to represent many cerebral palsy children and young adults in medical negligence claims. Tony also acts as the Court of Protection Deputy for many of the cerebral palsy and brain damaged clients that he has represented, so we can continue to support you after your case is settled. Tony can be contacted by email on tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk. Alternatively, please call and speak to any of Chadwick Lawrence’s specialist medical negligence Legal Aid and no win-no fee solicitors for free legal advice on the freephone number below.

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