What kind of people become midwives?
Some nurses decide to undertake the extra study necessary to be registered as a midwife. Others work their way up through unqualified support roles and go on to study for a registered midwifery degree, while some people enter midwifery from a different career altogether.
It is also possible to study to be a midwife directly after A-levels, although Janet Fyle, professional policy adviser at the Royal College of Midwives, stresses that maturity is important. "I am not saying 18-year-olds can’t study to become midwives, but they must think about whether they have the confidence as an individual to deal with the wide range of issues they will come across," she says.
What do midwives do?
There are more than 35,000 qualified midwives in the UK. They can work in the community, in hospitals and in stand-alone birth centres. Midwives can work within the NHS, or private health care, and some are self-employed.
They do not just work to deliver babies, but are also involved in antenatal and postnatal care, counselling, support and education, and helping mothers and their partners prepare for parenthood.
"I would ask potential midwives why they want to become midwives, and if they say they like babies, I would ask them to think again," says Fyle. "You need to look at what midwives do in terms of providing services and support for women throughout their pregnancy and after, and the effect of having a baby on family relationship dynamics."
What can midwives go on to do?
They can go on to manage a team of midwives, and continue to have hands-on involvement with clients. Alternatively, they can move into teaching or research, or go into the role of consultant midwife, providing clinical leadership for midwives and others across maternity services. Midwives can also move into other professions, including neonatal nursing – looking after women and babies with health complications around birth – or health visiting.
What skills do midwives need?
Communication and observation skills are important, as is an ability to provide support to a diversity of women during a very vulnerable time. Midwives should be interested in the physical and psychological aspects of pregnancy and birth, and be able to work as part of a team liaising with other professionals. They also need to be able to deal with emotionally charged situations.
Fyle says: "You want the person to be trustworthy and non-judgmental. They must also have confidence. A midwife has to think for themselves; a midwife can prescribe and whatever decision they make, they are accountable for. It is an autonomous role, they don’t practice by the dictats of a doctor."
What qualifications are needed?
To work in the NHS, midwives must hold a "pre-registration" qualification in midwifery at degree level, which allows them to register with governing body the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). Entry requirements for the qualifications are generally five GCSEs and two A-levels or equivalent, although relevant work experience – such as time spent as healthcare assistants or associate practitioners – and the ability to show evidence of academic ability can meet some entry requirements. Qualified nurses can take an 18-month pre-registration course in midwifery.
Midwifery training generally takes around three years and involves a mixture of academic study and work placements. Once qualified, midwives must keep their knowledge up-to-date, so that they can remain on the professional register.
What do midwives earn?
An entry-level midwife starts off at Band 5 in the NHS pay scale (£21,176 to £27,625), while a team manager is on Band 7 (£30,460 to £40,157) and a midwife consultant on Band 8a-c (£38,851 to £67,134).
How is the role of midwife changing?
The role is coming under pressure as the UK birth rate has increased, and births are becoming more complex, partly due to an increase in older mothers and in levels of obesity. The Royal College of Midwives is campaigning for 5,000 more midwives for the NHS in England. Recently, NHS Wirral became the first trust in England to award a contract to a private firm to run a midwifery service, a move which looks likely to be replicated elsewhere.
FIND OUT MORE
- The Nursing and Midwifery Council is the UK nursing and midwifery regulator. Midwives must register with the body in order to practice in the NHS. Its website holds information on training, registration and other resources www.nmc-uk.org
- The Royal College of Midwives is the UK’s trade union and professional organisation for midwives and those that support them. It promotes excellence, innovation and leadership in the care of childbearing women, the newborn and their families www.rcm.org.uk
- NHS Careers is the information service for careers in the NHS in England. Its midwifery section includes real-life stories and information on pay and training www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/midwife.shtml
