Midwives: Graduate Guarantee

Lord Sahota Excerpts

Tuesday 21st April 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I was about to answer the noble Lord’s first question by talking about retention and then he helpfully raised retention. Retention rates for existing midwives are improving, as is the number of midwives. That includes a mentoring scheme, strengthening advice and support on pensions, flexible retirement options, and publication of menopause policies and guidance to support midwives to stay in work. We also have unit-based retention leads to focus on this and provide support to midwives. I think that is a really important initiative.

[Lord Sahota (Lab)]

My Lords, given that the National Health Service is always short of nurses and midwives, do the Government have any plans to bring in any overseas nurses and midwives to fill the jobs?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

The issue is more a misalignment of numbers than a straightforward shortage, as the number of midwives has increased. There was a 2.6% increase in January 2026 compared to the year before, so the trajectory is good. The misalignment, as I have explained, is that we are dealing with a situation where midwives are being trained but they cannot get jobs. That is what we have to bring together and what we are doing through the graduate guarantee scheme.