The Royal College of Midwives has said a lack of maternity funding meanssome NHS trusts and boards are basing midwifery staffing levels on what they can afford, not women and baby’s needs.

The group says that rising demands on maternity services are colliding with years of underfunding to create a perfect storm of factors affecting maternity safety and quality. There is a current shortage of over 2,000 midwives and the situation is deteriorating with midwife numbers falling month on month, worsened further by pandemic related staff sickness and absences.

The RCM states that this is having an impact on the safety and quality of care for women, and also means many women with more complex needs such as mental health problems are not getting the care they need and deserve. This is also leaving staff exhausted, overwhelmed, fragile and feeling massively undervalued.

Birte Harlev-Lam, executive director, Midwife at the RCM, said: “Women and their safety are still not being put at the centre of care. If this was the case, we would see significant amounts of additional funding and real efforts to support, retain and recruit staff, and we are not. There is a black hole in the centre of our maternity services where more money and staff should be. I have no doubt this is undermining maternity staff efforts to deliver the safest and best possible care for women and their babies.

“We know also that many staff are still afraid to speak out when they know something is wrong for fear of reprisals and recrimination. We must flip this thinking where it happens on its head. Every workplace must have a culture that encourages and supports staff to raise their voice, and then acts on it, because they will be the ones delivering the safest care.”

The RCM is also raising a red flag over concerns that regular reviews of staffing levels are not happening often enough. This is particularly crucial when making major service changes such as delivering more personalised care for women.