Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the availability of flexible working arrangements for midwives.

‘We work flexibly’ is one of the elements contained in the NHS People Promise with a commitment to deliver for staff, including midwives by 2024/25.

NHS England has created and shared flexible working arrangement resources and delivered bespoke webinars and workshops on the issue. They have also brought together midwifery leaders from across the system to share good practice, foster collaboration and support the implementation of flexible working across maternity services.

In September 2021, contractual changes took effect for employees covered by the NHS Terms & Conditions of Service Handbook which includes the right to request flexible working from day one without the need to provide a justification.

However, no assessment of the adequacy of the availability of flexible working arrangements specifically for midwives has been made.