Maintain pressure on reforms to protect NHSMidwives hail increase in London workforce
Midwives have hailed new NHS workforce figures showing that the number of full-time midwives in London has increased by 7%.
There were 3,751 midwives in London, an increase of 252 from the previous year’s numbers.. Nationally, the number of midwives increased by 341.
Last October, the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) calculated London was facing a shortage of 1,150 midwives, even though birth rates are increasing.
Pat Gould, RCM team leader for London, said: ‘Our maternity services in London are improving, but staff shortages are playing a big part in the lack of quality of care being offered to mothers and babies. We need to work harder to address health inequalities and the needs of many women from socially disadvantaged and diverse backgrounds that are still not being met.’
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