Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to tackle problems of recruitment and retention of midwives in England to enable every expectant parent and baby to receive the continuity of care model.

Since 2021 we have invested an additional £165 million a year to improve maternity and neonatal care, rising to an additional £186 million from April 2024. This is improving the quality of care for mothers and babies, and increasing the number of midwifery posts available.

As of December 2023, there are 23,361 full time equivalent midwives working in National Health Service trusts and other core organisations in England, an increase of 3,707, or 18.9%, compared to 2010. The Long Term Workforce Plan sets an ambitious increase in midwifery training places, to 58,000 by 2031/32. We will work towards achieving this by increasing places to over 44,000 by 2028/29.

NHS England have introduced measures focused on recruitment and retention, in-line with their three-year maternity delivery plan. This includes establishing a nursing and midwifery retention programme, supporting organisations in assessing themselves against the NHS People Promise, and developing a local retention plan. NHS England is also implementing enhanced continuity of carer for midwifery to ensure safe, consistent, and personalised care in the areas of highest need.