Health Service - Squeeze on student midwives
WORKERS, MAY 2006 ISSUE
The Royal College of Midwives has said, in its evidence to the pay review body, that one in five student midwives do not finish their training. One of the major reasons for this is the paltry level of bursaries awarded. The RCM is calling for a new level of £10,000, so training can be completed.
Now, an already stretched service will be further hit by government cuts in NHS spending. A recent RCM survey showed that 75% of responding units had staff shortages. The number of full time midwives has dropped by 6.2% over the past five years. It is estimated that 10,000 extra midwives are required to deliver a proper level of one to one care for all new mothers. Midwifery is a public health service which has a much wider role than just the delivery of babies.
The RCM has been critical of the recently awarded 2.5% pay rise. Karlene Davis, General Secretary of the RCM, said, "We don't want to see midwives forced to pay the price for NHS financial mismanagement."