Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve the recruitment and retention of midwives in the NHS.

We have invested £127 million to increase staffing in maternity and neonatal services. Of this, £34 million will be allocated to strengthen leadership and implement Independent Senior Advocates and £51 million allocated to the maternity and neonatal workforce over two years to reduce vacancies. This is in addition to £95 million to support the recruitment of 1,200 more midwives and 100 more consultant obstetricians. Approximately £8 million has been provided to enable supernumerary capacity across 157 units, with a focus on support to newly qualified, student and late career midwives.

The NHS People Plan includes a programme for organisations to retain staff through prioritising staff health and wellbeing, building an inclusive and compassionate culture in the National Health Service and strengthening support for flexible working. The People Plan is supported by the NHS Retention Programme, which seeks to understand why staff leave, resulting in targeted interventions to support staff to stay whilst keeping them well.