Student midwives in Wales, weeks away from qualifying, have been informed that there are insufficient jobs in the Welsh NHS, forcing some to consider positions at McDonald's, zero-hour contracts, or unemployment. Of the 139 midwives graduating this year, only 69 have secured roles, leaving 70 without jobs. This includes general nurses, where 400 are qualifying without positions.
Personal Stories of Struggle
Ria Iles, 33, from Rhondda Cynon Taf, has over £68,000 in debt from her three-year midwifery course and a prior access course. Despite training at Cwm Taf health board, no vacancies were available there or in Cardiff. She has taken a job as a water technician to support her two children. “I’m petrified for the services, because the women and families are not getting the care that they need,” she said.
Adele Lloyd, 49, a mother of five, completed an access course and started her midwifery degree in 2023. She relied on a Welsh Government bursary covering tuition fees and a monthly living allowance of £329. “The thought of having to go back and do something like that again, is really soul-destroying,” she said, referring to previous retail and care work.
Emma Nicholls, 21, moved from London to Wales for the bursary and a promised job. With 2,500 placement hours and 30 deliveries, she will return to McDonald’s in London after qualifying. Millie Hislop-Smith secured a part-time job in Wrexham, far from her training base in Cardiff, and will need a zero-hour contract to pay rent.
Government Response and Causes
Welsh First Minister acknowledged the issue in the Senedd, stating there is “no quick fix” but that the government is “very, very serious about doing all that we can to resolve.” He explained that training numbers for this cohort were commissioned in 2022 when vacancies existed, but improved retention due to the economic situation has reduced available posts. A summit was called by the health minister on 18 June, and Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) has been asked to coordinate a national support offer.
The Welsh Government said: “We know how disappointing it is for this year’s nursing, midwifery and paramedic graduates who haven't secured the roles they worked so hard for. We have asked HEIW to coordinate a national support offer, including a single point of access to ensure graduates remain supported and connected to emerging employment opportunities.”
Demands for Change
Students are calling for an anonymised streamlining process, priority over the December cohort, and collaborative routes with health boards and universities to complete preceptorships. They also want clarity on NHS Wales Bursary commitments. Currently, midwives do not get a second wave of streamlining like nurses, and they must compete on a general vacancy portal open to all qualified midwives in England and Wales.
The students staged a protest outside the Welsh Parliament, feeling “completely unheard” after a meeting last week. Ria Iles noted the irony: “The Amos report and Ockenden report show the dire levels of staffing… and they are now not putting us into that workforce to help make those better.”
