A new survey by the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has revealed that more than 80% of student midwives due to qualify this year are not confident they will secure a job—despite the NHS facing a critical shortage of midwives across the UK.
The findings expose a stark disconnect between workforce planning and the real-world needs of maternity services. According to the RCM, three-quarters of final-year student midwives have already applied for jobs, but many face rejection due to recruitment freezes and funding cuts, even as maternity units struggle with dangerously low staffing levels.
The RCM warns that midwifery managers are desperate to hire but are unable to do so due to budget constraints. Some maternity services have even been forced to close temporarily because of unsafe staffing levels.
The College is calling on governments in all four UK nations to take urgent action to align staffing establishments with the actual care needs of women and families.
Many student midwives surveyed expressed deep concern about their financial futures. Having taken on significant debt to train, they now face the prospect of unemployment. The RCM’s previous State of UK Midwifery Student Finance report highlighted the financial strain on students, particularly mature learners who often juggle childcare, mortgages, and other responsibilities.
Fiona Gibb, Director of Midwifery at the RCM, said:
“Report after report cites understaffing as a factor in the delivery of safe care, and midwives consistently share with us that there are too few of them to deliver the best care they know they can. We also hear firsthand from women of how overstretched staff struggle to care for them on busy maternity wards.
“Despite this, midwifery graduates face uncertainty, with too few vacancies for them to begin work upon qualification. It’s beggars’ belief that, despite the Westminster Government recognising the need to increase student places, the new midwives who are now ready are finding that the jobs simply aren’t there.
“We know we need more midwives, it’s widely acknowledged even by politicians, but there’s clearly been a failure to align workforce planning to the much-needed increase."
Despite their dedication and life experience, these future midwives are being left in limbo—at a time when the NHS can least afford to lose them.
The RCM is urging immediate investment in midwifery posts to ensure that newly qualified professionals can enter the workforce and help alleviate the ongoing maternity staffing crisis.
Image credit: iStock
