The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has expressed concerns following new figures from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) showing a significant slowdown in growth of the UK’s nursing and midwifery register, driven by a sharp fall in international recruitment and an increase in staff leaving the profession.
The latest NMC data, released today (Friday 5 December 2025), reveals that while the number of midwives on the register has reached a record high of 47,481, growth has slowed to just 1.9% in the last six months.
At the same time, the number of internationally educated professionals joining the register has nearly halved compared to the same period last year, with overall joiner numbers falling by more than a quarter.
Gill Walton, Chief Executive of the RCM, said: “Any slowdown in growth of the midwifery workforce is deeply concerning. Services are already under significant pressure and a reliable flow of new midwives is essential to ensure safe, high-quality care for women and babies. The rise in midwives leaving the profession is a warning sign we cannot ignore. Improving working conditions and addressing burnout must be central to any workforce plan.
“The collapse in international recruitment adds further strain to an already fragile system. The RCM has long said that overseas recruitment cannot be a substitute for sustained investment in domestic training, education and retention. This data shows just how vulnerable the current approach is.”
Gill added that the RCM was also concerned by the rise in the number of midwives leaving the register.
She said: “Midwives are dedicated to providing safe, compassionate care, but they can only do that when they have the right staffing levels, manageable workloads and the support they need. Without meaningful action on retention, we risk losing even more experienced staff.
“It is also unacceptable that so many midwives and maternity support workers continue to face racism and discrimination at work. We welcome the NMC’s commitment to tackling this and urge employers and the Government to take action too. Every member of the maternity workforce deserves to feel safe, respected and valued.
“The Government must act urgently. We need a fully funded, long-term workforce plan for maternity services that supports those already in the profession – women, babies and families depend on it.”
