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Background
A robust, skilled midwifery workforce is integral to provision of safe maternity care.
In Australia there is a lack of evidence regarding adequacy of the midwifery workforce,
recruitment, retention and distribution of midwives in rural, regional, and metropolitan
settings. We aimed to explore the state of the midwifery workforce in Victoria from
the perspective of managers of maternity services and currently working midwives.
Methods
An online, population-based cross-sectional survey of midwifery managers and midwives
in all Victorian public and private maternity services was conducted between March
and October 2021. Questions explored midwifery staffing numbers and adequacy, recruitment,
staff turnover, midwives’ years of experience, career plans, and intention to leave
the profession.
Results
Fifty-six percent (38/68) of managers of Victorian maternity services and 1016/5134
midwives responded (20% of midwives in Victorian maternity services). Of the managers,
76% reported inadequate midwifery staffing levels in their services, with a reported
combined total deficit of 135 full-time equivalent midwives. Public metropolitan hospitals
had higher rates of turnover than public regional/rural services, but regional/rural
services experienced a greater impact. Managers ascribed staff turnover to midwives
retiring or ‘experienced’ midwives choosing to leave to seek new opportunities with
better work/life balance. Most (73%) managers reported difficulties in recruiting
midwives. More than half (61%) of midwives in this study were ten years or less post-qualification.
One in five midwives were unsure how long they would stay in the midwifery profession,
and over a quarter were planning to leave the profession in the next five years. However,
almost 40% of midwives were regularly thinking about leaving the profession.
Conclusions
The Victorian midwifery workforce is currently inadequately staffed and lacking in
experienced midwives. A significant number of midwives are considering leaving the
profession. A focus on supporting recruitment and retention in urgently required.
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Copyright
© 2022 Published by Elsevier Inc.
