More than nine in 10 midwives warn unsafe staffing levels are directly impacting the quality of care they provide for women and babies

By SHAUN WOOLLER, EXECUTIVE HEALTH EDITOR Published: 00:01, 22 June 2026 | Updated: 00:01, 22 June 2026 More than nine in 10 midwives warn unsafe staffing levels are directly impacting the quality of care they provide for women and babies. Three-quarters have considered leaving the profession in the past year, with most blaming staffing shortages and safety concerns, the Royal College of Midwives said. Its polling of 3,523 members comes as the largest maternity review in the history of the NHS is set to be published, detailing how widespread failings led to the deaths of babies and caused avoidable harm. The survey exposes widespread staff shortages, which 93 per cent of midwives believe directly impacts the quality of care they can provide. In the week from June 1 to June 7, 77 per cent of midwives told pollsters their ward was not safely staffed and 72 per cent said staffing felt unsafe on more than half of their shifts over the previous month. Three quarters (75 per cent) said they have considered leaving, which the top reasons being staffing levels (65 per cent), safety concerns (54 per cent), work-life balance (54 per cent) and the impact the job is having on their mental health (41 per cent). Asked what would make them stay, two-thirds (66 per cent) said more staff and 61 per cent said more money. Robbie Turner, chief membership officer at the RCM, said: 'Midwives are not leaving because they no longer care – they are leaving because the system will not let them provide the care they want to give. Senior midwife Donna Ockenden (pictured) will publish her report on Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust later this week  'Three in four considering leaving is not a staffing problem, it is a staffing emergency. 'Every midwife goes into this profession because they want to provide safe, high-quality care – and that is what makes this data so concerning. Safe staffing is a prerequisite for safe care. 'The hard truth is that the conditions that put women and babies at risk – exhausted staff, inadequate numbers, no time for breaks or training – are still the daily reality for midwives right now, across every part of the UK.' Senior midwife Donna Ockenden will publish her report on Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) later this week following the independent review which has involved almost 2,500 families. Earlier this month a BBC Panorama programme told how the acronym 'FOH' was written next to women's names who were under the care of the trust. The 'F' is a swear word, the 'O' standing for 'off' and the 'H' short for 'home'. Another midwife was reported to have told colleagues to send women who had come to hospital worried they were in labour home, with the advice: 'Don't be too kind, she'll keep coming back.' Ms Ockenden is also leading probes into care at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, which is expected to include more than 1,000 cases. The final report from the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation, which is led by Baroness Amos and examining 12 trusts, is also set to be published later this month. An interim report published in February found that NHS maternity services are failing women and babies through a reluctance to admit mistakes, 'a lack of kindness and compassion' and pervasive discrimination. Mr Turner added: 'Inquiry after inquiry has told us what needs to change. 'We need more midwives, we need them paid fairly, and we need action now – not more warm words or empty promises from the Government.' Elsewhere, the survey found 77 per cent of midwives were working unpaid overtime in a single week, with one in five working five hours beyond their contracted hours. More than a third (38 per cent) said they did not get 11 hours of uninterrupted rest every 24 hours as per regulations. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'We know that too many families are receiving poor quality maternity care. 'There are record numbers of midwives in the NHS. 'The National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, chaired by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will act on the findings of the upcoming Baroness Amos report which has considered the experiences of staff and healthcare professionals working across maternity, and how they can be better supported to provide high-quality, safe and compassionate care.' No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. 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