By Danielle Jenkins

There are not enough midwives, the NHS has always been overworked but a recent survey by the Royal College of Midwives, shows just how bad it is for midwives.

The survey showed that 87% of midwives in Scotland believe that their units are not safely staffed.

Meanwhile 45% of midwives in Scotland report burnout. Despite midwife employment rates increasing by 7.9%, it is still less than doctors and nurses, and still not enough stay on long term.

All over the UK expectant mothers are being disregarded and overlooked when serious complications and issues arise. What started in England is now spreading to Scotland, with more women coming forward and saying they don’t trust their maternity team.

An investigation at the maternity unit at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, revealed that some women were waiting more than 24 hours to be induced for labour and that a ‘toxic’ work environment was infecting the ward.

Twenty-six requirements for improvement were made to the hospital by the safety watchdog Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) and the Health Secretary himself, Neil Gray, has stepped in, after his sister suffered a loss at the hands of tired staff.

Many midwives are being left feeling as though they are lying to patients when they tell them that they are safe where they are, as they themselves don’t even feel safe due to the plague of toxicity.

Many midwives are choosing to leave due to the lack of support they receive. This leaves large gaps in staffing on maternity wards. For example, HIS observed that 50% of midwives on some shifts in the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh where often unavailable and that “at times there was no staff to undertake care needs”.

The Royal Infirmary is not alone in its staffing issues. Ninewells Hospital, in Dundee, has also raised concerns about staff shortages and delays.

Jackie Baillie, the Labour Party’s health spokeswoman said: “Too many women and babies have been let down when it matters most.”

The Scottish National Party (SNP) has agreed to set up a task force that will consider the scope of a national review and will look into problems within the culture of maternity wards among other things.

Many parents are also speaking out. Julie Keegan, an ICU nurse, who lost her three-day-old baby, claimed that parents are being let down by a lack of accountability.

Many other parents have echoed this statement, they feel no one cares for them or their babies.

Nicole M, a first-time mum suffered at the hands of a doctor who made her cry on countless occasions until she eventually sought out a new obstetrician. Upon doing so, she found out that it was known around the hospital that doctor wasn’t the most friendly with patients and would often leave them feeling upset, but no one had officially filed a complaint, as he was an overall good doctor, just had terrible bedside manner.

Toxic workplaces, understaffing and vulnerable people, is leaving a mess in the maternity sector that the SNP must try and solve promptly before women and babies suffer further harm.

Maternity wards suffering