The Story

I'm a student midwife who, along with many others, is facing the harsh reality that upon graduation, there are simply no funded jobs available for us.  We have dedicated years to rigorous training, studying and completing thousands of hours of unpaid clinical placements with the goal of becoming qualified midwives.

However, the consequences extend far beyond unemployment.  Newly qualified midwives must maintain their Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) registration by paying an annual fee and revalidating every three years, including demonstrating a required number of clinical practice hours to remain on the register.  Without employment, many risk losing both their registration and their ability to practise altogether. 

Many newly qualified midwives may be forced to seek employment outside of maternity services due to the lack of funded positions available.  Yet they are still expected to repay student loans, with interest, for a qualification they have worked tirelessly to obtain but are being denied the opportunity to use.  Graduates should not be burdened with the financial consequences of a workforce crisis when the government has failed to provide sufficient funded positions within a critically understaffed profession. 

Throughout our training, the NHS relies heavily on student midwives to support frontline maternity services and help bridge dangerous staffing gaps.  Yet, upon qualification, many of those same midwives are denied the opportunity to remain within the workforce they have spent years preparing to join.    

Newly qualified midwives should not be financially penalised for a workforce crisis we did not create! 

The Issue at Hand

Maternity care in our country is facing a severe staffing crisis. The government has failed to allocate the necessary funding to create new jobs in maternity care, leaving qualified midwives without employment opportunities. As a result, newly qualified midwives are left in limbo, having the qualifications and commitment to improve our maternity services, but lacking funded roles to do so.  In one Southern trust alone, 24 third-year student midwives were recently informed that not a single newly qualified position would be available to them upon graduation, further highlighting the growing disconnect between the NHS staffing crisis and the lack of funded opportunities for those willing and fully prepared to help address it.

Why This Matters

The absence of funded positions not only affects new graduates, but poses a substantial risk to the quality of care available to expectant mothers and their newborns. With maternity staff already stretched beyond safe limits, the risk of burnout increases, often resulting in declining mental health and  a dangerous drop in care standards.

Our Proposed Solution

We are calling on the Government to acknowledge and address this discrepancy.  Specifically, we request that student loan repayments and interest should be suspended for newly qualified midwives until suitable NHS employment within maternity services is secured.  Where graduates remain unable to obtain employment within the profession despite actively seeking work, the Government should consider partial or full student loan forgiveness.

This exemption should apply only to graduates who are actively seeking employment within a reasonable commuting distance, such as a 15-mile radius, recognising that many graduates have families and caring responsibilities that make relocation unrealistic.

The Government should take urgent action to increase the number of funded positions within maternity services, ensuring that newly qualified midwives can enter the workforce and help address longstanding staffing shortages.

Given the severity of the staffing crisis and the essential public service student midwives provide throughout their training, the Government should also review long-term measures to reduce financial burden on newly qualified midwives and improve retention within the profression.

Supporting Data

According to recent reports, the NHS is experiencing a severe midwife shortage, with estimates suggesting a deficit of 2,500 midwives (RCM, 2024). This alarming statistic highlights the urgent need for increased financial support to recruit and retain qualified midwives. Despite these shortages, maternity services continue to face chronic underfunding.

Call to Action

We urge you to stand with us in this critical time. Sign this petition to support exempting student midwives from loan repayment and demand the government take immediate steps to fund new positions in maternity care. Together, we can support newly qualified midwives, strengthen maternity services, and protect the safety of families and their babies. 

Signing this petition is a step towards change, providing hope for newly qualified midwives and making a positive impact on our healthcare system.