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Midwife numbers have "fallen sharply"
The number of midwives joining the NHS in the capital has fallen sharply, according to a new survey by the Royal College of Midwives (RCM).
The study found that midwives joining the profession in London dropped from 281 in 2006 to just 80 in 2007. However, between 2001 and 2006, the number of births in the region increased by 14 per cent.
In London, vacancy rates are the highest in the UK at 7.97 per cent compared with the national average of five per cent.
But, because vacancy rates are only based on the number of positions that the relevant NHS Trust is actively seeking to fill, the RCM believe the real vacancy rate is much higher with midwives being overstretched.
Melanie Every from the RCM said: "How can we expect midwives to cope when their workload is racing ahead of staff numbers. They are struggling to provide the level of care promised by the government, and the birth rate is set to carry on increasing. Across the country we are really beginning to see the quality of care being compromised by poor staffing levels."
Ms Every said 5,000 new midwives are needed across the country and called for current staff to be rewarded for their skill and dedication in their pay-packet.
The figures, which were obtained by surveys conducted on Heads of Midwifery and midwives, will now be submitted to the Independent Pay Review Body, which will recommend the pay award for midwives for 2008.
3:14pm Saturday 24th November 2007
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