Tim Lichfield
June 4th, 2008
Attracted by the shorter work days of Australia and New Zealand or the increase in pay offered in other countries like Saudi Arabia and Canada, over 2300 midwives have decided to pack their bags and leave the UK.
At an expensive 30,000 pounds per person for training in the NHL, Health Secretary Alan Johnson has been struggling with the emigrations which have lost on average 463 a year. He has stated a goal of adding an additional 4000 by 2010 but there is no sign that it will be enough to offset the yearly losses. This year alone, 261 midwives have left the UK and moved on to another country. Over the summer months, many more are expected to join in the mass exodus.
The reason for the decline has been a combination of general unhappiness with the current state of service that the UK provides as well as foreign agencies relentless recruiting from the UK. Many of the complaints are directed to the politics involved as well as cuts in staff forcing the midwives to be overworked with limited job satisfaction. Spokewoman for the Royal College of Midwives Sue McDonald commented, “The Government must do more to improve the working environment for our over worked midwives and encourage them to stay.”
In 2007, 615 midwives emigrated, 436 in 2006, 351 in 2005, 338 in 2004 and 317 in 2003. As the numbers show, the UK is quickly losing a large portion of their skilled workforce without any end to the emigrations in sight.
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Midwives, UK
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