Commenting on the NHS staffing figures released today by the NHS Information Centre, Cathy Warwick, General Secretary of the Royal College of Midwives, said:
“The Government must be congratulated on exceeding their midwifery staffing targets ahead of schedule. This is a testament to the importance they place on delivering a high quality maternity service, and their commitment to make it happen. However, there needs to be a marked increase in the pace of change if the Government’s pledge of an extra 3,400 full-time midwives by 2012 is to be met.
“I have major concerns about the regional figures because over three-quarters of the total number of new midwives are in London. In some regions the midwife numbers have fallen and some are at best treading water, at a time when the birthrate is rising steeply.
“The Government is putting money into regional maternity services. Now we have got to see the people who control this money at the local level use it for maternity services, and show real and significant evidence of change and progress. Failing to do this is a disservice to women and babies, and to the midwives and other workers who are struggling to deliver high quality care.”
For more information contact the RCM Press Office on 020 7312 3456
Notes to editors
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) aims to promote and advance the profession of the midwife. The RCM represents the vast majority of the UK's midwives and is one of the world's oldest and largest midwifery organisations, and celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2006. It is also a trade union. For more information visit the RCM website at www.rcm.org.uk.
The Government pledged to deliver and extra 1000 (headcount) midwives by September 2009. They have also pledged to deliver an extra 4000 midwives (headcount, or equivalent to 3,400 full-time equivalent midwives) by September 2012.
The RCM remains committed to its calculation that an extra 5000 full-time equivalent midwives are need to cope with the rising birthrate and to deliver the Government’s guarantees in Maternity Matters, the Government’s blueprint for maternity services in England.
