England and the NHS is facing the biggest baby boom in 40 years, just as cutbacks in maternity budgets hit our hospitals. More than a quarter of UK Heads of Midwifery reported that their budget has been cut in the last 12 months, and the Royal College of Midwives has warned that this is putting NHS Maternity Services under enormous pressure.

New figures suggest that more than 700000 babies will be born in England this year, the first time such a level has been reached since 1971. Birth rates have been rising for the last decade, principally due to immigration, with the number growing by 12000 per year.

According to the Office for National Statistics there were 688120 births in England in 2011; however the baby boom is reaching record levels in 2012. Executives at the Royal College of Midwives have said that today’s midwives have never seen anything like it, and go on to say that NHS Maternity Services are on a knife edge.

The demand being placed on the NHS is huge, and the lack of midwives is now becoming apparent. The Royal College of Midwives has expressed their concerns that 89% of midwives feel that they are not able to give women all the care and support they need. They have carried shortages for years; however with the number of births increasing they are now at the limit of what they can safely deliver. Student midwife numbers are still being cut, and newly qualified midwives are unable to find jobs. Despite the Government’s promise that another 3000 midwives would be provided, only 900 have been employed. One third of new midwives are still currently unemployed. The Royal College of Midwives is understandably frustrated that the midwives are being trained but not recruited, saying it is a sad waste of time and effort, as well as taxpayer’s money too. They also argue that another 5000 midwives are needed to keep up with the rising birth rate.

In response, a spokesman for the Department of Health has said that they are working closely with the Royal College of Midwives to ensure that the supply of midwives matches the current birth rates. Also the Minister for Health has recently announced that an extra £25 million would be released if “there is evidence that women have been asked about the changes they want in local areas”. He has since written to all NHS Trusts, urging them to take advantage of the money which has been made available, particularly to improve maternity facilities to support parents when things don’t go to plan.

The Royal College of Midwives said that the cash was “a welcome and positive step”, but a small one in the context of the £2.5 billion maternity budget.