Union Warns of Midwife Shortage

The Royal College of Midwives has warned of a ‘serious shortage’ of midwives on the island.

Members of the RCM are due to meet with Manx Care CEO Teresa Cope today, as well as other senior medical officials.

In a statement, the RCM said that the island has no overarching strategy for maternity care, lacks in resources, such as consultant midwives, to ‘promote the safest possible care’.

The union said that despite a 2019 report that said more midwives are needed ‘that increase never happened’ and warned that with a third of midwives approaching retirement age, this needs to be resolved quickly. 

Karen Murray, the RCM’s Director for Northern Ireland and its lead for the Isle of Man, said: ‘Maternity Services on the Isle of Man need urgent strategic direction. There are serious holes in midwife numbers, in funding, and in leadership. All this is crucial for safe care. 

‘Women on the island do not have the choices of care they should, and midwives are not being supported enough to do their jobs as well as they want to. Midwives are working incredibly hard to ensure women, babies, and their families get the safest and best possible care. However, there are not enough of them. I know we are pushing at an open door with the Manx Government on this, but this does need their attention now.’

As well as concerns over staff numbers, the RCM said that women’s choices are more limited than in the UK, including not having the option of a home birth, no consultant midwives or specialist professionals to support women with, for example, mental health issues. 

Karen Murray added: ‘There should be red lights flashing about maternity services in the Manx Government, and these are warning lights they cannot, and must not ignore. The safety and wellbeing of women, babies and staff are being compromised. Urgent action is needed to address the issues facing the island’s maternity services. It is time to start that work without delay.’

Manx Care

In its response to the claims levelled by RCM, Manx Care said that members of its senior team is meeting with the union today, which will be focussing on developing a maternity strategy for the island.

A spokesperson said: ‘We very much welcome the RCM’s visit and their insights for the Island, and are working with them and the DHSC to drive standards in maternity care moving forward.

‘Manx Care recognises and is grateful for the RCM’s support at a time when Maternity services are facing significant workforce challenges, both here on the Isle of Man and across the UK. When Manx Care came into existence on 01 April 2021, it inherited a service with a number of long-standing vacancies and recruitment gaps, a position that has been incredibly difficult to address as a result of there being a significant shortage of Midwives in the UK.

‘Manx Care is exploring all options to increase midwife recruitment and pre-registration training. We currently have our first Student Midwife on placement from Salford University and we hope she will return home to the Island and take up a position with us once she has graduated. The team is also focusing on the delivery of more joined-up care to people who require their support, for example launching the Rainbow Care service for pregnant ladies who have previously lost their baby, providing them with extra support throughout subsequent pregnancies.’