Maternity Crisis Leaves Student Midwives Anxious for Their Future

A student midwife at Birmingham City University has spoken about her anxiety for the future of her profession as figures show large numbers of midwives are leaving their jobs.

Jemma Cad said, "The maternity crisis is bound to affect my career as a midwife. How am I to provide my patients with the best care when I am placed under immense stress and pressure due to the poor staffing?"

Statistics found by @betterbirthuk show that 96% of student midwives report mental health problems and that for every 30 newly qualified midwives, 29 leave or never start, meaning the NHS gains only one extra midwife.

A lecturer from the department of midwifery at Birmingham City University, who wishes to remain anonymous, said "It's difficult to look after our students because we don't have the time to make sure that they're okay. How can we look after our students when we can't even look after ourselves?"

(Image: March with Midwives)

Funding cuts and midwife shortages are not only affecting midwives, but babies and mothers too.

A recent survey, led by Independent UK membership body Patient Information Forum (PIF), revealed that 50% of women receive a lack of information to make informed decisions around their birth. As a result, only 52% felt they had the birth that met theirs and their baby's needs.

Erin Fung, the founder of @betterbirthuk, said, "As a birth worker, these statistics are not surprising. They reinforce the importance of reducing the demands on staff. As a result of staff shortages, midwives are evidently not being able to provide each woman with the utmost support they need."

A mother, who wishes to remain unnamed, talks on her experience of giving birth during the midwife crisis at Good Hope Hospital, Sutton Coldfield.

"They are so understaffed it's becoming negligent."

This mother had missed scans that "should have taken place weekly" and had also "failed" to receive her blood pressure medication one day.

"Midwives, doctors and nurses can hardly spend two minutes with you before they are needed elsewhere.I had wonderful midwives but it's time everyone realises the dangers of continuing as it is."

In Birmingham, hundreds of people gathered in Victoria Square in the city centre for #MarchwithMidwives. (Image: @DoulaSolihull)

Parents and doulas in the region are taking to the streets to show their concern for their industry. Hundreds gathered in Birmingham's Victoria Square on Saturday to make their feelings known.

Their demands are as follows, listening to all staff and service users and their advocates, funding emergency retention, enabling anybody willing to work or train and reducing the demands on staff.

Since the campaign, The Department of Heath has pledged to hire 1,200 more midwives with a £95 million recruitment drive.

Campaigners fear this won’t help if more isn’t done to retain current staff, as a recent, Royal College of Midwives (RCM), survey found that almost 60% of staff are thinking of leaving their profession within the next year.

You can read more on #MarchwithMidwives manifestos here.