“More midwives needed” says Royal College of Midwives

16 Apr 2009

The Royal College of Midwives has warned that more midwives need to be recruited if Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) are to meet guidelines on one-to-one care.

The college wants one midwife for every 28 babies born, but says that only four of the ten SHAs in England are likely to meet this target by 2012.

According to NHS guidelines, all expectant mothers should have a dedicated midwife. The Royal College of Midwives says this can only be achieved with one midwife for every 28 births.

Other calculations have suggested that 32 births per midwife is acceptable. Four SHAs - Yorkshire and Humber, East Midlands, East of England and London - are all likely to exceed even this higher target.

Maternity services are coming under increasing pressure due partly to women having babies later in life and immigration.

The Government has pledged to employ an extra 3,400 midwives by 2012 but the college says that 5,000 extra midwives are needed.

Cathy Warwick, general secretary of the Royal College of Midwives, said: "We know the government is making a big effort to recruit more midwives and are putting money into maternity services.

Their policies are good and are going in the right direction. However, these figures show although the situation for most regions will be better, it will still not be good enough to deliver the quality of care women need."

Guy Forster, a medical negligence solicitor, said: “We regularly encounter clients who feel that they did not receive the attention they required from midwives, sadly often with catastrophic consequences.  Clearly more midwives would help to address the problem but it is also imperative that midwives are appropriately experienced and skilled and that patients also have access to experienced obstetricians."

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