I don’t often see survey data that shocks me, but this one did. A survey of Scottish midwives shows morale at the lowest point ever recorded. These are people responsible for bringing new life into the world, and they’re exhausted, stressed, and feeling undervalued.
The numbers are stark. Over 80% of respondents reported high stress levels. Two thirds are considering leaving the profession. Nearly half say they’ve had thoughts of quitting within the last month. This isn’t minor dissatisfaction. This is a profession in crisis.
What’s driving it? The usual culprits, but concentrated. Understaffing is the big one. Maternity services are under pressure everywhere in the UK, but Scotland has particular shortages. Midwives are working extra hours. They’re doing overtime regularly. Breaks aren’t happening.
Then there’s the responsibility without the support. Clinical decisions under pressure with insufficient backup. That’s stressful even for experienced staff. It’s genuinely dangerous for morale and safety.
Pay matters too. Midwives aren’t well paid relative to other healthcare professionals. It’s a graduate profession, skilled work, often requires shift patterns that disrupt family life. The compensation doesn’t match the demand or the responsibility.
The long term risk is real. If experienced midwives leave, the service loses expertise. Training new midwives takes years. You end up with a less experienced workforce managing the same volume. That’s a safety issue.
Scottish Government has commissioned more midwife training places, which is good. But it’s a slow fix. What needs to happen faster is addressing workload and working conditions for the midwives already in the system. They’re the people actually delivering the service.
This isn’t about handwringing. It’s about a service that’s visibly struggling, signalling that through the people working in it. The signal is worth listening to.