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The midwife mothers back on call to beat birth crisis
Sophie Goodchild14 May 2009
Health chiefs are recruiting an army of former midwives back into the profession to solve London's maternity crisis.
A team of 30 women has already been signed up to work in hospitals and in the community assisting home births. Members of the “birth squad” include those who have returned to work after having a family, and those who had retired.
All have been chosen for their “life experience” and many have been lured back with the help of a government incentive of up to £3,000. Maternity chiefs say the women will help reform services for mothers-to-be wanting more choice over how and where they give birth. It is part of a national drive to tackle the shortage of midwives and recruit 4,000 extra to the NHS by 2012.
Health Secretary Alan Johnson announced in February last year that returning midwives would receive a “golden hello” of £1,500, free training, childcare support, travel costs and a grant of up to £1,500.
The number of births per midwife per year has risen by 6.5 per cent in England since 2001 and is as high as 25 per cent in some parts of the country. Guidelines say there should be 36 midwives per 1,000 deliveries but fewer than one in six hospitals meet this.
There are 3,751 full-time midwives in London, a rise of 252 on last year but more are needed to tackle the rising birth rate in London and the challenges posed by mothers from such diverse backgrounds.
Rhonda Stewart, a mother-of-three from Blackfen, Sidcup, is one of the first recruits. She qualified in 2001 but gave up work to look after her sons. Now retrained, Ms Stewart, 45, will be starting work on a £28,000 annual salary at Queen Elizabeth hospital in Woolwich. She said: “The £3,000 [incentive] sounds a lot but it doesn't go very far as you have to pay fees. It's stressful but a very rewarding job.
“Childbirth is a normal process and a lot of women have forgotten this. My aim is to promote that having a baby is natural. Home births are an excellent idea and midwives are very well equipped to cope.”
Marie Grant, director of maternity services at NHS London, said women like Ms Stewart have a wealth of expertise and more were needed. She said: “We'd love to have a bigger army' of women who have life experience. Mothers and families need them. London has a diverse population and ethnic mix so has different demands.”
Reader views (3)
Ref Rob(erta?) Thomas;
No one would suggest that having children is of lesser importance to our future - so important in fact that it should be seen as a full time occupation, rather than a subsidised career "break" opportunity.
This would also probably lead to less "latch key" social problems in society.
Perhaps midwives, social workers and teachers should only be employed AFTER they have raised children, then they have the advantage of experience as well - interesting point.
Nevertheless, training costs taxpayer money, so perhaps a legally binding agreement at the start of the training/career path would be in order - that would certainly sort the more desirable vocationally minded from the "justajob`s"!
- Darius Midwinter, London UK, 15/05/2009 10:51
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Mr (?) Midwinters comment is interesting.
Midwives actually undertake a 'return to practice' which takes into account all the previous training - but updates procedures and certain skills. This is (or at least should be!) good practice in any business or organisation to ensure people are up to date and operating under current methods. Perhaps bankers and politicians might like to take a leaf out of this book and compare 'rules' and 'morals'
If women didn't take time out to 'start a family' then we have completely different social and financial implications for our future as a nation. Is Mr (?) Midwinter suggesting people don't leave to start families? If they do should they not be 'retrained' to enter the field? I'm sure the Health and Safety Executive, amongst others, would have an interesting interpretation of the idea of not re-training.
Whilst there maybe a question of those who are trained and leave a profession never to return to it, there are compelling, and very good reasons, for people to take a break (to help create the next generation?) and re-enter the field. Politicians, bankers, amongst many, would gain a huge amount from experience other facets of our society and economy.
In many occupations the people I have found to be the most engaging, professional, experienced, etc. are those who have a rich life, work and social situations t.
On many levels we need to encourage and praise anyone to return to a field of practice. They are adding to the tax coffers too!
- Rob Thomas, London, UK, 14/05/2009 20:23
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I often wonder what is the cost of training a midwife/nurse/doctor/policewoman/civil servant, who then, once trained, decides to start a family, presumably on maternity leave, then opts not to return to work.
The same question could be asked of those who work overseas once the taxpayer has paid for their skills training.
In these days of belt tightening, perhaps these fiscal amounts should be revealed, and ways found not to waste resources in future?
- Darius Midwinter, London UK, 14/05/2009 15:46
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