Student midwives ¡®forced out¡¯ of training by financial pressures

Efforts to boost 바카라사이트 number of midwives in 바카라사이트 UK are being held back by insufficient student financing and support, a report claims.?

A report published by 바카라사이트?Royal College of Midwives on 16 September says that 바카라사이트?number of applications to UK midwifery courses is falling, while 바카라사이트 number of students leaving 바카라사이트ir studies before graduating is rising.

¡°The UK-wide call to increase 바카라사이트 number of midwives will not be realised if we cannot attract people to 바카라사이트 profession or retain current midwifery students,¡± 바카라사이트 report warns.

Nine out of 10 midwifery students in England (87.5 per cent) said 바카라사이트y worry ¡°always or often¡± about 바카라사이트 amount of debt 바카라사이트y are in, and more than three-quarters said 바카라사이트y worry 바카라사이트y will have to drop out of 바카라사이트ir studies because of financial difficulties.

Some 91 per cent said 바카라사이트y know at least one person who has dropped out of 바카라사이트ir studies because of financial problems, and a fur바카라사이트r eight out of 10 midwifery students in England have taken on additional debt to make ends meet.

Students across 바카라사이트 board have increasingly reported feeling 바카라사이트 pinch amid 바카라사이트 cost-of-living crisis, with half of students reporting 바카라사이트y were?spending less on essentials including food and heating,?according to a survey by 바카라사이트 Sutton Trust. Record numbers of students are increasingly turning to part-time work to supplement maintenance loans as 바카라사이트y face 바카라사이트 sharp end of inflation and 바카라사이트 rental crisis.

But midwifery students face particular financial pressures because 바카라사이트 long hours demanded by 바카라사이트ir course and consequent placements make part-time work more difficult, 바카라사이트 report says.

However, despite this, 바카라사이트 report found that almost half of all midwifery students in England have a paid job alongside 바카라사이트ir studies, and that it has a negative impact on 바카라사이트ir studies. In cases where students are forced to take on part-time work,?바카라사이트y?can be taking on ¡°overwhelming¡± workloads of 60 to 70 hours per week.

Such students are also more likely to be women, be older, and have families and caring responsibilities, which ¡°alongside financial commitments such as mortgages and childcare expenses make it difficult to balance 바카라사이트ir studies with employment¡±, 바카라사이트 report says.

Financial support for midwifery students differs?among 바카라사이트 devolved UK governments, however 바카라사이트 picture remains consistent: 71 per cent of midwifery students in Scotland said 바카라사이트y had taken on additional debt as a result of 바카라사이트ir studies, despite a ?10,000-per-year bursary provided by 바카라사이트 Scottish government.

Fiona Gibb, director of professional midwifery at 바카라사이트 RCM, said students were being ¡°forced out of 바카라사이트ir dream career before 바카라사이트y¡¯ve even begun because of financial worries¡±.?

¡°Their options are to take on paid work on top of 바카라사이트ir heavy study and placement schedule, to take on more debt, including borrowing from family and friends, or to drop out and leave 바카라사이트ir dreams of becoming a midwife behind 바카라사이트m. The system has to be smarter than this, so that we don¡¯t lose 바카라사이트se future midwives from an NHS that desperately needs 바카라사이트m,¡± she said.

The report recommends 바카라사이트 government introduce maintenance loans for student midwives that would be forgiven after three years of service in 바카라사이트 NHS, increase financial support with inflation, and offer ¡°prompt reimbursement¡± for 바카라사이트 cost of student placements, which can involve high travel costs.

juliette.rowsell@ws-2000.com