MIDWIVES took to the streets across the UK today in protest at cuts and the rundown of the NHS, which has left midwifery in crisis.

In more than 70 towns and cities, from Aberdeen in north-east Scotland to Torbay near Land’s End, children, parents, midwives and supporters marched and rallied over staff shortages, overwork and yet another vital health service being brought to breaking point.

The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) said that 67 per cent of midwives are unhappy with the safety and quality of the care they are able to deliver, and that almost 60 per cent are considering quitting.

It said the service needs at least 3,500 more midwives, and that the situation is getting worse.

RCM executive director for external relations Jon Skewes said: “For years, maternity services have been operating with too few staff and inadequate resources.

“NHS trusts and boards have relied on the goodwill of staff, and their genuine love of what they do, to maintain services — but staff are reaching the end of their tether.

“Last month, we published a survey that showed that 57 per cent of midwives are looking to leave — and the biggest group among them are those who have only been working for five years or less.

“The UK and national governments have to do more, not only to train and recruit new midwives into the NHS, but to retain the ones we have.

“Staff are frankly exhausted, many feel like they have nothing left to give — and services are suffering as a result.”

Today’s protests were part of the March with Midwives campaign, formed by the Maternity and Midwifery Forum and involving midwives, maternity support workers and other health professionals.

It said that services are at a “forced point of breaking.

“We are facing a maternity crisis of epic proportions and still we rise to self-initiate the call to action required to demand improvements.

“Far from being broken, we remain strong, are forced into acting out of resilience rather than respect and point the finger back to the broken power systems and our government for not valuing our efforts, despite our continuous demands for improvement.”