Scotland’s largest health board is taking on just a handful of new midwives, leaving the majority of graduates struggling to find work.
Just 20 out of around 100 graduates at Glasgow Caledonian University will be offered newly-qualified midwife posts despite claims of wards being understaffed and under pressure.
The midwives are the latest graduates to be rejected in the recruitment process by health boards in Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
The Daily Record revealed recently how the health board had not employed a single paediatric nurse and general nursing posts are also few and far between.
One midwifery graduate told how they were told there would be between 35-45 positions available – well down on the 70 newly qualified midwife posts the year before – but that some would be part-time posts to allow recruitment of more staff.
She said: “The final outcomes showed they were actually cutting the numbers. Only 20 of us have been offered positions within Greater Glasgow and Clyde.”
Labour health spokesperson Jackie Baillie said: “Staff will suffer and patients will suffer because of this. It is due to the incompetence of the SNP Government.”
A spokeswoman from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde admitted: “We are carrying out a recruitment process for 20 WTE (whole term equivalent) midwifery posts.”
She further explained: “This is based on the needs of our service at this time and anticipated staff turnover rates, and this will be kept under review.”
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