The petition, which demands ‘urgent action’ from the Department of Health, has now shot past the 10,000 mark and been signed by more than 11,500 people.
This means it has a tenth of the number required for a debate in the House of Commons.
The signatures on the petition, set up by RCM general secretary Cathy Warwick, have come in less than two months.
Stuart Bonar, RCM public affairs officer, said: ‘Over 11,500 people have now signed the RCM’s e-petition for more NHS midwives.
‘It’s great news that we have now zoomed passed this big milestone.
‘Lots and lots of people – indeed, more people every day – are signing up and supporting midwives.
‘We all know that there aren’t enough midwives in England. The challenge for all of us now is to get the remaining 88,500 signatures we need and force a House of Commons debate on this vital issue.’
‘Please do all you can to help,’ he added.
Those who have not yet signed are being asked to do so and everyone is being urged to publicise the petition.
People are being encouraged to use social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, to spread the word.
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 closing date for the petition is
22 August 2012 and it can be
signed here.
