1,000 signatures reached
To: Mabon ap Gwynfor — Minister for Health and Care
Strengthen Maternity Care: Employ Midwifery Graduates
Midwifery graduates are ready to work. Why aren't we being given the chance?
Dedicated newly qualified midwives in Wales are ready to begin their careers, yet many struggle to find jobs at a time when maternity services are already under immense pressure.
Dedicated newly qualified midwives in Wales are ready to begin their careers, yet many struggle to find jobs at a time when maternity services are already under immense pressure.
Families deserve safe maternity care, midwifery graduates deserve the opportunity to use their skills, and maternity units deserve the staffing they need.
It's time for a workforce plan that supports graduates into employment and ensures maternity services have the staff needed to deliver better care for women and babies.
It's time for a workforce plan that supports graduates into employment and ensures maternity services have the staff needed to deliver better care for women and babies.
Why is this important?
In maternity services across Wales, midwives report overwhelming workloads, increasing complexity of care, and concerns about their ability to provide the safe, personalised care every woman deserves.
Yet many hardworking graduates struggle to secure the permanent jobs they trained for. Investment in education must be matched by investing in jobs.
Yet many hardworking graduates struggle to secure the permanent jobs they trained for. Investment in education must be matched by investing in jobs.
As a union, midwives are calling on ministers to:
- Guarantee up to full time employment opportunities for newly qualified healthcare graduates. The Welsh Government should work with health boards to ensure newly qualified healthcare professionals have clear pathways into permanent full time employment if that is what they want.
- Fund safe staffing levels in maternity services. Every maternity unit should have enough staff on every shift to provide safe, compassionate and personalised care.
- Publish transparent workforce plans. Families deserve to know how many midwives and maternity support workers are needed, how many are in post and what action is being taken to address shortages.
- Retain and support the existing workforce. Improved wellbeing, flexible working and manageable workloads are needed to keep experienced staff in maternity services.
- Link training investment to workforce need. If Wales trains healthcare professionals to meet future demand, funded posts must be available so those skills are not lost.