NEWLY qualified midwives (NQMs) have been left devastated after a shortage of vacancies has left many struggling to find jobs. 

This year across Scotland, only a third of NQMs have so far been able to find positions whereas in past years all recently qualified midwives have been able to secure employment in their chosen profession.

In Glasgow, they currently are only taking on 20 new midwives and have a waiting list.  

Last year, however, it is understood NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) recruited between 60 and 70 NQMs.  

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A spokesperson for Scotland's largest health board said this is based on their needs of service and will be kept under review though Matt McLaughlin, UNISON health organiser, has called the lack of vacancies within NHSGGC "unacceptable".

However, the lack of vacancies has come as a "shock" with many students saying they were told earlier this year they were "guaranteed" to get jobs.  

The issue is believed to have been caused by financial challenges within health boards.  

Jaki Lambert, director of the Royal College of Midwives in Scotland, says she is concerned about the "far-reaching effects" this will have on maternity care, including in Glasgow, and says it is "devastating" for students.  

She said: “If you don’t have enough staff, you can’t free people up for the education training and development they need.  

"In one week, there was 12,000 hours extra work across Scotland unpaid by midwives, so we know there is a huge workload and we don’t have the midwives.  

"We need to retain every midwife and that means they need to feel there is enough staff when they come into work, and it could have a direct impact on care if we don’t have enough midwives employed. 

"Times are challenging but this is about making sure we can continue giving brilliant care to families having babies."

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In Scotland, it costs close to £60,000 for each midwife to go through their three years of training, at either West of Scotland, Napier or Robert Gordon universities, which is paid for by the government.  

Jaki says it "makes no sense" that following this investment NQMs are not able to get jobs and will possibly have to look to other sectors for employment.  

She said: "It’s a false economy to take that investment and not put it right where those midwives are needed for providing care.  

"We've been crying out for these midwives to be educated, and they are expecting to have a choice of where they work rather than being told there are no vacancies and no jobs being advertised. 

"The challenge we have across Scotland that we know from speaking to midwives is there is a real shortage of the workforce which we had in our State of Maternity Report last year. 

"Our students can’t afford not to work and there’s a real risk we’re going to lose this huge investment in the future of midwifery to another profession or to abroad or the rest of the world UK."

The lack of vacancies also comes after a reduced working week was agreed to through last year’s pay campaign, bringing the work week down to 36 hours from 37 and a half hours over the next three years, with Jaki saying it effectively means there will be 135 less midwives across Scotland which needs to be mitigated against.  

Matt McLaughlin is urging NHSGGC to ensure NQMs can find work.  

He said: "UNISON has been made aware that newly qualified midwives and others such as paediatric nurses are finding it difficult to secure jobs in Glasgow after qualifying.  

"We are led to believe that this is because of budget cuts. 

"At a time when we need to encourage more people to work in the NHS this is unacceptable.  

"It simply compounds the NHS staffing crisis in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde - and elsewhere. 

"We continue to press NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to ensure students can find work, and we have been calling on the Scottish government to step in and help find a solution."

A spokesperson for NHSGGC said: "NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is carrying out a recruitment process for 20 WTE midwifery posts.  

"This is based on the needs of our service at this time and anticipated staff turnover rates, and this will be kept under review."

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "We greatly value the vital contribution of our midwives.

"It is entirely for health boards as employers who know what needs and demands they have to recruit graduates to their workforce."