Midwives gather in Newcastle in stand against "crisis" in profession

• Video report by Julia Breen

Midwives in Newcastle and beyond took to the streets today (21 November) to stand against what they're calling a "crisis" in the profession.

The March with Midwives 'vigils' took place across the county, with organisers saying current conditions are forcing people to leave the profession, maternity units are under strain and the safety of birth in the UK is in crisis.

Campaigners say staff shortages began before the pandemic. A recent survey from the Royal College of Midwives found:

Supporters of today's vigils are asking the Government to listen to staff and service users, fund emergency retention of staff, enable all qualified midwives who are willing to work and support students to enter training and finish their courses, and reduce the demands on staff.

In response, a Department for Health and Social Care spokesperson said:

“We are committed to patient safety, eradicating avoidable harms and making the NHS the safest place in the world to give birth.

“Midwives do an incredibly important job and we know how challenging it has been for those working during the pandemic. There are more midwives working in the NHS now than at any other time in its history and we are aiming to hire 1,200 more with a £95 million recruitment drive.

“The mental health and wellbeing of staff remains a key priority and the NHS continues to offer a broad range of support including through dedicated helplines and mental health and wellbeing hubs.”