This in-depth analysis of the midwifery profession reveals widespread staffing shortfalls, particularly in non-metropolitan areas. The auhors of the report say that the workforce is in crisis and urgent action is needed to boost midwifery students by a fifth. 

The largest study of Australian midwives to date, the research takes in the views of more than 3,000 midwives, 300 students and 70 educators as well as focus groups across the country. The report provides more than 30 recommendations to increase the visibility, governance and leadership of the profession, to scale up models of care, to grow and support the midwifery workforce.

Key findings

• Australia’s midwifery workforce is in crisis: there are not enough midwives or current midwifery students in the pipeline to meet the future needs.
• If the already high rates of industry attrition were to rise, the impacts would be catastrophic.
• One in three midwives are considering leaving the profession amid high rates of burnout, anxiety, stress and low rates of satisfaction.
• There are widespread localised staffing shortfalls, particularly in non-metropolitan areas.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples are underrepresented in the midwifery profession, and the impact and ongoing presence of racism, intergenerational trauma, vicarious trauma, and colonisation present significant challenges.

Key recommendations

• Universities, health services, and policymakers should increase the number of midwifery students, starting as soon as possible, by at least 20%.
• Universities and health services must implement quarantined places for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander midwifery students.
• Where there is a maternity service, ensure that leadership is provided by midwives at government, employers, executive and clinical levels.
• Expand publicly funded homebirth services and address professional indemnity insurance challenges.
• Develop and implement midwifery continuity of care models as a defined care pathway, and fund midwives to work to their full scope.
• Government, health services, industrial and professional bodies need to strengthen workplace flexibility and ensure midwives have more career pathway options, particularly part-time and job share opportunities.