Calls for more 'earn as you learn' midwifery roles in rural areas

There are calls for more 'earn as you learn' routes into midwifery, with the aim of helping expectant mums in remote areas of Scotland.

Many women in rural areas travel long distances to have their babies and access women's health services, including some of those in Caithness who face a 110 mile journey to give birth in Inverness.

Jaki Lambert from the The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) feels a similar opportunity which is currently available in nursing in Scotland, could be a solution to the challenge of travelling long distances for maternity care.

Ms Lambert features as part of our exclusive feature on women's health services in the Far North of Scotland, which is now available to listen to online.

Over recent months, we've been hearing from women in Caithness regarding the distance many travel to have their babies.

One told us how she felt "robbed" of her first birth and no longer wishes to expand her family in the area.

Another explained how she opted to travel to Essex to ensure services would be on her doorstep.

NHS Highland has previously highlighted how a downgrade to the maternity unit at Caithness General in 2016 was decided on safety grounds.

While reiterating that safety is always the top priority, RCM Scotland Director Jaki Lambert feels 'earn as your learn' routes to midwifery would help challenges faced by women in rural areas, including the Far North.

She said: "We absolutely want folk in the North and in our island situations to be able to identify that they want to become a midwife and to be able to do that through earn as you learn routes, going from being a care assistant into being a midwife.

"Midwives who are invested in that community can go on to become a midwife and be absolutely embedded in the community that they want to care for.

"We think that is a real win because we know geographically, recruitment is much more challenging in our island and rural situations.

"But this is a good solution that we've seen works in the nursing situation.

"It has already had been piloted and rolled out in England and has had such a success rate where maternity care assistants are supported to earn as you learn and go on to become midwives.

"They absolutely thrive."

We understand the matter has been discussed by a taskforce chaired by Health Secretary Neil Gray, and it will soon publish a report which will include recommended actions around alternative models of delivery.

'Bump on the road: Scotland's 100 mile baby dash' is now available as part of our Behind the Headlines series on our website, on Spotify and Apple podcasts.