§ Mr. Win GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those health authorities in England which anticipate a shortage of midwives over the next five years; what is the estimated shortage; and what measures he is proposing to overcome it.
§ Mr. MellorWe do not collect the information in the form requested centrally. There are reported difficulties in some localities, but there is no evidence that there is a national problem. The results of the 1987 regional health authority chairman's survey undertaken for the nurses pay review body showed that at March 1987 about 4.;2 per cent. of midwives' posts had been vacant for at least three months compared with the average of 3.5 per cent. for all nursing and midwifery staff.
Nationally the number of midwives has increased by 11.4 per cent. since 1981. Action is being taken centrally where appropriate to improve recruitment and retention of such staff. For example, the new clinical grading structure was designed to recognise and reward the skills and expertise of, and provide improved career opportunities for, both nurses and midwives. The results of the regrading exercise show that at both staff midwife and midwifery sister level much larger numbers have gone into the higher grades than has been the case with nurses. As a result, the average increases for midwives this year is over 20 per cent. and for staff midwives it is over 25 per cent. We are also discussing with the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting ways of stimulating more interest in direct entry midwifery courses. Health authorities have also been asked to organise campaigns to attract back nurses and midwives who have left the service and to provide more opportunities for flexible working and job sharing.