Marvin OnumonuA UK-wide survey by the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) found nearly one in three newly qualified midwives with their Nursing and Midwifery Council Personal Identification Number (NMC PIN) had not secured a job.
Despite shortages in maternity services and the graduate job scheme in England, 31% of respondents were unemployed.
Among those without a midwifery post, 61% said they weren’t working at all, while others reported jobs in retail, hospitality, offices, cleaning and prison services.
Of the midwives who found roles, 55% said they were on fixed-term contracts.
53% were not working full-time, although most said their hours matched their preferences.
One quarter said they were not working the hours they hoped for, affecting their earnings.
The RCM said this highlighted a gap between the number of midwives trained and the jobs available.
The college called on the Government and NHS employers to address this, warning recruitment freezes and financial constraints could push new midwives out of the profession.
Fiona Gibb, director of midwifery at the RCM, said: “These results are deeply worrying and it is troubling that newly qualified midwives, who have worked hard and are ready to contribute to care, are being left unemployed, working in non-clinical roles or trapped in insecure jobs.
“This uncertainty is having a serious impact on graduates’ wellbeing, with many experiencing anxiety, stress and loss of confidence at the very start of their careers.
“Alongside this, financial pressures are mounting, as graduates struggle to meet living costs, repay student loans, and plan for their futures without stable employment.”
Gibb added: “At a time when maternity services are struggling with staff shortages, we should be doing everything we can to bring these newly qualified professionals into the workforce.
“Instead, they are being failed which is undermining the future maternity workforce we so desperately need.
“For years, the Royal College of Midwives has warned that maternity services are operating without enough midwives to provide consistently safe, personalised care.”
She said: “Yet this survey shows newly qualified midwives – registered and ready to work – are being left without jobs.
“The government needs to urgently invest in permanent posts so newly qualified midwives can enter the profession and help deliver the safe care that maternity services urgently need.”
