Royal College of Midwives warns slowdown in midwifery workforce growth risks increasing pressure on maternity services

The latest Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) data, released on 5 December, reveals that while the number of midwives on the UK’s nursing and midwifery register has reached a record high of 47,481, growth has slowed to just 1.9% in the last six months.

Gill Walton, Chief Executive of the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), says: “Any slowdown in growth of the midwifery workforce is deeply concerning. Services are already under significant pressure and a reliable flow of new midwives is essential to ensure safe, high quality care for women and babies. The rise in midwives leaving the profession is a warning sign we cannot ignore. Improving working conditions and addressing burnout must be central to any workforce plan.

“The collapse in international recruitment adds further strain to an already fragile system. The RCM has long said that overseas recruitment cannot be a substitute for sustained investment in domestic training, education and retention. This data shows just how vulnerable the current approach is.”

Walton adds that the RCM is also concerned by the rise in the number of midwives leaving the register: “Midwives are dedicated to providing safe, compassionate care, but they can only do that when they have the right staffing levels, manageable workloads and the support they need. Without meaningful action on retention, we risk losing even more experienced staff.

“It is also unacceptable that so many midwives and maternity support workers continue to face racism and discrimination at work. We welcome the NMC’s commitment to tackling this and urge employers and the Government to take action too. Every member of the maternity workforce deserves to feel safe, respected and valued.We need a fully funded, long-term workforce plan for maternity services that supports those already in the profession - women, babies and families depend on it.“