The petition was set up by RCM general secretary Cathy Warwick and demands ‘urgent action’ from the Department of Health.
It got off to a ‘roaring start’ and was ranked the 37th most popular out of the 5738 petitions on the government’s e-petition website.
That means it was getting more signatures than 99% of petitions on the site.
But, if people continue signing-up at the current rate, the target of 100,000 signatures will be missed by just 256 by the closing date in August 2012.
Stuart Bonar, RCM public affairs officer, said: ‘After its first month the RCM’s petition is almost on track to reach 100,000 signatures within a year.
‘That’s the deadline, and it’s looking really tight. We have to keep up the pressure.
‘If you haven’t signed then please do, and tell your friends, family and colleagues.
‘It’s going to be hard work to get to 100,000, but it will be worth it when we get there.’
Those who sign are being urged to use social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, to spread the word about the petition.
It states that more babies were born in England in 2010 than in any year since 1972, whilst births to women aged 30 or older were at their highest since 1946.
It continues: ‘The NHS is desperately short of midwives, and the shortage affects every region of England.
‘We need urgent action from the government, including a target to recruit the equivalent of 5000 more full-time midwives.
‘Care for women but especially babies at the very start of life should be shielded from the cuts.’
The petition is open until 22 August 2012 and can be
signed here.
