Midwives call for more cash

The RCM has called for extra investment in order to be able to guarantee the choice and quality in maternity services outlined in the NHS Next Stage Review.

Criticising the review as being 'quality and choice heavy' on maternity services, RCM director of employment relations Jon Skewes said:

'If we want to see real quality and choice in maternity services, then we need to see real action.

'Investment needs to follow the grand strategy outlined, and the government needs to come good on their promise of more midwives,' he added.

The review says midwife training needs to be increasingly 'dynamic' so that midwives in the future will be able to work flexibly and 'deal expertly' with a range of situations in a variety of settings.