Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 10
10
Accepted
Maternity workforce shortages remain a significant barrier to safe care provision.
Conclusion
Workforce shortages remain a major barrier to safe maternity care, despite recent recruitment progress. We are disappointed the Government suspended its continuity of carer target, which is especially important for marginalised women, including Black women, who face greater challenges in being heard by the healthcare system. (Conclusion, Paragraph 62)
Government response summary AI-generated
The government reiterated that maternity services are an ICB priority and that funding remains consistent despite the ring-fence removal. It stated it will monitor ICB investment and is exploring how various health system parts can collaborate to address pre-pregnancy risk factors, listing several existing local and national initiatives.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government · verbatim extract
Accepted
Over the last 10 to 15 years, there have been significant increases in the midwifery workforce. In 2010 to 2011, there were around 34 deliveries for each full-time equivalent (FTE) midwife. The number of qualified midwives has since increased by around a quarter and, in 2023 to 2024, there were around 25 deliveries per midwife. As of 31 August 2025, there are now 24,706 FTE midwives employed by the NHS. This is an increase of 1,249 (5.3%) compared with 31 August 2024. The qualified midwifery workforce has also been supplemented by the introduction of midwifery support workers. Increasingly complex births and the increase in rate of deliveries by caesarean section has led to new and different demands on the whole maternity workforce. Between 2017 to 2018 and 2023 to 2024, the proportion of caesarean deliveries has risen from 28% of hospital deliveries to 42%. Additionally, the number of maternity outpatient attendances increased from 9.2 per delivery in 2014 to 2015 to 12.6 in 2022 to 2023 - this is equivalent to an annual growth rate of 4.1%. NHS England remains committed to the enhanced continuity of carer model for those living in the most deprived areas. An independent evaluation of the enhanced model of continuity of carer model found that: • service users and staff appreciated the model • enhanced model of continuity of carer teams provided greater capacity for midwives to deliver enhanced care to the women that are most likely to experience poor outcomes An evaluation of longer-term outcomes will be available in 2027. Funding that was provided for the pilot was moved into ICB baselines in line with other NHS England programmes for 2025 to 2026. Regional teams are working with trusts to understand how this funding is being used to tackle inequalities in outcomes.
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