The job of midwife involves responsibility for two lives: that of mother and baby. The rewards are in the huge satisfaction in bringing new life safely into the world, rather than financial; therefore, it requires considerable commitment, as well as knowledge, skill and the personal qualities that impart confidence to women in labour. Nevertheless, students, whose average age is 27, undertake three years of training to qualify for this demanding job, with increasing numbers giving up salaries to live on a bursary of less than £6500 a year.

Until recently, they were guaranteed a year's employment in the NHS when they qualified; that is no longer the case and 90% of those in their final year are struggling to find a job. This makes no sense. It costs the taxpayer £45,000 to train a midwife, but the health service is in danger of losing their newly-acquired expertise if they cannot find permanent jobs. Most patch together temporary shifts with work for agencies, but some finish their course with debts of around £8000, and some have family responsibilities. Their fate, and the increased costs as midwifery moves to an all-graduate profession, will make it less attractive to future students. That is a dangerous state of affairs when more than half of practising midwives are over the age of 40. Yet there is an urgent need for more midwives on the wards and in the delivery suites.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has said that every expectant mother should have a midwife to manage the birth of her baby because one-to-one care is essential to ensure the safety of mother and child. At a time when the birth rate is rising in every part of the UK and all the demographic indicators point to that continuing, it is a scandalous waste of resources to consign newly-trained, committed healthcare professionals to the uncertainty of part-time work and risk losing their skills altogether.