Health Secretary Alan Johnson Announces a Package of Measures to Recruit an Extra 4,000 Midwives to the NHS over the Next Three Years
Thursday 03 April 2008Comment on this article Permlink
The Department of Health and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) will 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 total value of the package will be around £3,000.
The Return to Practice campaign is an important part of a wider drive to recruit 4,000 more midwives by 2012.
We are also working closely with Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) on a detailed analysis of the midwifery needs in every area of the country.
This will enable us to refine our delivery plans at the local level.
There are currently a number of courses available nationwide to give those who wish to return to Midwifery both the confidence and competence to meet current professional requirements for practice.
Midwives who have taken a break from midwifery practice but whose registration is still active do not need to undertake a formal return to practice programme and should seek advice from the Royal College of Midwives or the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
Figures on the numbers of midwives are measured by headcount and by Whole Time Equivalents (WTEs).
WTE’s takes into account the fact that more than one person may be employed to cover a single post equivalent (job sharers, part timers).
3,400 WTEs is equal to approximately 4,000 headcount.
There are currently 24,469 midwives employed in England equal to 18,862 Whole Time Equivalents midwives.
There has been a 20% increase in the number of students entering training to become a midwife between 1996/97 and 2006/07.
In 2006, there were 635,748 births in England, compared to 572,826 in 2000. This equates to an increase of 11% in 6 years.
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