Push for urgent delivery of support for midwives crisis

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Ethan James | October 23, 2024

Australia faces a midwifery “crisis” with more than a third of workers considering leaving the profession and graduate numbers potentially not meeting future demand.

Those are the findings from a report commissioned by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia which surveyed more than 3000 midwives, 300 students and 70 educators.

The report found there were widespread localised staff shortfalls, particularly in non-metropolitan areas.

Only two per cent of midwives in managerial roles said their maternity services were fully staffed with midwives.

More than half said staff turnover was greater than the COVID-19 pandemic and 84 per cent described recruiting as difficult or very difficult.

The board said the report, which has made 32 recommendations for reform, was proof Australia’s midwifery stocks are in crisis.

“Midwives play a vital role in maternity care at the most precious time,” board chair and adjunct professor Veronica Casey said.

“They now need urgent support to ensure they can continue to be everywhere they are needed.”

Almost 37 per cent of surveyed midwives indicated they were considering leaving the profession, with seven in 10 potential “leavers” under the age of 50.

“This is concerning, as it represents a significant loss of workforce potential,” the report said.

“While some indicators suggest adequate workforce numbers, other data suggest a current and predicted shortfall.”

If all potential “leavers” departed the job, 13,000 students – a 10-fold increase on current graduation rates – would be needed in the first year to fill the void, the report said.

The findings were released as the Gosford Private Hospital on the NSW central coast announced it would cease maternity services at the end of March.

The decision was a culmination of declining birth rates, decreasing demand for private maternity services, rising cost-of-living pressures and challenges with private health insurance, the hospital said in a statement.

The hospital said it was the eighth private facility nationwide to shut maternity services over the past 18 months.

The report by medical research group the Burnet Institute has called for a 20 per cent increase in midwifery students, ensuring 1560 graduates within two-to-four years.

It has also recommended the federal government develop midwifery continuity of care models and fund midwives to work to their full scope.

“A combination of increased student … numbers, enabling midwives to work more hours per week, reducing attrition and increasing overseas graduates are all needed,” the report said.

The federal government has been contacted for comment.

NSW in August announced it would support 43 recommendations from an inquiry into birth trauma, acknowledging women had not received the standard care they should have.

Queensland passed laws in March to count newborn babies as patients in a bid to enhance safety and staffing ratios in maternity wards.

Midwives make up 3.9 per cent of the health practitioner workforce – there were 33,358 registered as at June.