Released on: 30 June 2023
Responding to the new NHS England Workforce Plan, Chief Executive at NCT, Angela McConville, said:
“We are pleased to see the long-overdue Workforce Plan recognise the unrelenting recruitment and retention pressures facing the maternity services and health visiting workforce. Yet, without immediate action and targeted investment to improve pay, this plan does little to change working conditions for midwives and staff today.
“Midwives, doctors, health visitors and maternity staff are chronically overworked and successfully retaining them will depend on how much investment the government is willing to put forward. Flexible working is a step in the right direction, but without this critical funding, we risk losing cohorts of staff with the experience and skill required to deliver safe, high-quality care for women and families.
“Investing in homegrown talent through almost doubling midwifery training and apprenticeship places each year is a welcome and more sustainable approach to restoring the maternity workforce. At the risk of attracting people only for them to be burned out, nurturing a safe and supportive working culture, supported by strong compassionate leadership, is essential for those coming into the profession, as well as those considering leaving.
“The Government is up against time and must take immediate action to ensure this ambitious plan is delivered without delay.”
You can read the full report, here.
