Department of Health announces campaign to recruit more midwives
February 29, 2008
Health Secretary, Alan Johnson, has today announced plans to provide former midwives with a £3,000 ‘golden handshake’ to encourage them to return to work after a break in service as part of a package of measures to recruit an extra 4,000 midwives to the NHS over the next three years.
The DoH is also to launch a Return to Practice campaign in the summer, with incentives including free training, support with childcare and travel costs plus a grant of up to £1,500.
The NCT welcomes the Government’s plans to recruit an extra 4,000 midwives to the NHS over the next three years. Additional resources to attract qualified midwives back to the profession will provide the basis for more continuity of carer, access to real choices, and provision of support and clinical care which is crucial for all families.
The NCT believes all women should have supportive, one to one midwifery care throughout labour and this currently isn’t happening. Investment in extra midwives will go towards addressing this need and will help to keep labour and birth normal. Investment will also help to deliver on the Government’s Maternity Matters objectives and on NICE recommendations, and improve the safety and quality of maternity care overall.
Entry Filed under: England, Parliamentary update, Pregnancy and birth. Tags: Department of Health, England, midwifery, Midwives, Parliamentary update.
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nctwatch | March 5, 2008 at 4:01 pm
“The NCT welcomes the Government’s plans to recruit an extra 4,000 midwives to the NHS over the next three years. Additional resources to attract qualified midwives back to the profession will provide the basis for more continuity of carer, access to real choices, and provision of support and clinical care which is crucial for all families.
The NCT believes all women should have supportive, one to one midwifery care throughout labour and this currently isn’t happening. Investment in extra midwives will go towards addressing this need and will help to keep labour and birth normal. Investment will also help to deliver on the Government’s Maternity Matters objectives and on NICE recommendations, and improve the safety and quality of maternity care overall.
It is vital that increased midwifery staffing levels are also managed to make maximum use of available resources. Midwives should be well supported by administrative and maternity support staff. They should be able to focus on providing care that only a qualified midwife can provide and not on basic administrative or housekeeping tasks.”