Members of the Royal College of Midwives’ (RCM) Student Midwife Forum have written to the newly appointed Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, James Murray, requesting an urgent meeting to address growing concerns over graduate employment in midwifery.
In a strongly worded letter, student representatives have urged the Health Secretary to prioritise the shortage of jobs for newly qualified midwives (NQMs). Despite ongoing workforce pressures within NHS maternity services, they warn that too many graduates are completing their training without securing permanent roles.
The move reflects rising concern across the sector that workforce planning is failing to align student numbers with available posts, leaving newly qualified professionals in limbo at a time when services continue to report staffing gaps.
The RCM says the situation is both troubling and unsustainable. While the NHS continues to experience significant demand pressures in maternity care, a substantial number of newly qualified midwives are struggling to enter the workforce.
Heather Bower, Head of Education at the RCM, said:
“We back our Student Midwife Forum, and every student midwife in the UK, every step of the way. Student midwives dedicate years to their education because they want to care for women, babies and families. It’s deeply concerning that so many NQMs are reaching registration without a clear route into employment.
“The students have requested this urgent meeting with the Health Secretary to discuss their experiences directly and to ensure the voices of student midwives are heard, as decisions are made about the future maternity workforce.
“We need a genuine Graduate Guarantee that gives every NQM confidence that there will be a substantive NHS role available when they qualify. Without that certainty, we risk losing talented and skilled professionals before they even begin their careers.”
The letter draws on recent RCM survey data that underscores the extent of the problem. According to the findings:
- 31% of newly qualified midwives had not secured an NHS post six months after qualifying
- Among those actively seeking work, 61% were unemployed
- Some graduates reported leaving the profession altogether due to lack of opportunities
These figures point to a concerning trend that could undermine long-term workforce sustainability if not addressed.
The Student Midwife Forum is calling for a clear commitment from government: all newly qualified midwives should be offered a substantive Band 5 NHS role within six months of graduation.
Crucially, they argue this must be backed by long-term funding and robust workforce planning to ensure university training places are aligned with NHS service demand.
The RCM has criticised the Government’s existing Graduate Guarantee, announced in August last year, as insufficient. The organisation says the scheme has largely relied on rebanding existing maternity support worker roles into temporary or part-time Band 5 positions, rather than creating new, permanent capacity.
In addition, the funding attached to the initiative was limited to one year, leaving the current cohort of graduates facing renewed uncertainty.
The issue is now likely to become a key test for the new Health Secretary, as sector leaders continue to emphasise the need for coordinated, long-term workforce strategies across the NHS.
The RCM maintains that without a meaningful and sustained commitment, the NHS risks losing skilled midwives before they even begin their careers – at a time when safe, personalised maternity care remains a national priority.
The organisation says it will continue to campaign for a strengthened Graduate Guarantee and a workforce model that ensures every newly qualified midwife has a clear and supported pathway into practice.
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