Golden Hello... good or bad?

Just seen this and wondered what everyone thought? What about all the student midwives, and those who have qualified and can't find a job?

Midwives who have left the NHS are to be offered "golden hellos" of about £3,000 to entice them back to the job, Health Secretary Alan Johnson has announced.

The initiative is part of a drive to recruit thousands more midwives to the health service over the next three years following repeated warnings about shortages.
Incentives will include free training and support with childcare and travel costs, on top of a grant of up to £1,500.
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) welcomed the move but the Conservatives accused the Government of responding slowly to a staffing crisis and failing to explain where the money would come from.
Mr Johnson said the package would enable the recruitment of an extra 4,000 midwives to the NHS by 2012.
Alan Johnson said: "Many of these extra midwives will be new to the profession, but there are also former midwives whose expertise could be brought back to the NHS given the right support.
"This is why we will make up to £3,000 worth of support available to each returning midwife, providing free training and financial support while they study."
The costs will come out of £330 million of funding announced in January for maternity services.
Dame Karlene Davis, general secretary of the RCM, welcomed the Government's recognition of the need to increase the number of midwives and said: "The RCM will wish to see a sustained programme of support for midwives from the Government," she added.
But shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley accused the Government of "chasing headlines".

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Midwifemissy x

Student Midwife 2007
Student uni rep
Educational Resources Manager

PAB Support Worker

Why not use some of that £330 million to support student midwives with a REAL bursary? I agree its a good idea to bring midwives back but also what about the students who gave up established careers to study midwifery despite the meagre bursary and rotten job situation....... plus how long will the returning midwives have to stay to get the benefits? it would mean more midwives so more mentors but to mentor who? students that have to give up the course due to financial constraints? share it about a bit thats my view.

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StudentMidwife.NET Founder & Director

What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?
(George Eliot, 1860)

why pay someone to do something they obviously didn't have their full heart and soul in... i mean... If you had such a passion and yearning for midwifery, why leave? Give it to the students and give them less financial pressure while studying so damn hard to enter a profession who needs them and their passion.

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It is rubbish to suggest that there is a shortage of midwives in this this country - what there is is a shortage of midwifery posts. Up and down the country NQ midwives are being given either no work, or temporary contracts when they qualify - where I work the 5 that qualified last September were given 3 month contracts, and have just been told that there is no work for them from the end of the month. This is in addition to a staff member who financed herself through the back to practice course, only to be going back on nights as an MCA

In short - a shortage of midwives on the wards does not necessarily equal a shortage of midwives per se.

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Love Dory xxx
Just keep swimmin', just keep swimmin'....

Have you just been offered a place? If so and you want a mentor please post in post this forum (also post here if you would like a mentee)

im glad that this situation has finally become a priority and im all for return midwives but the government need to think about the entire profession!! what about working conditions and pay for midwives that have stuck it out? what about helping students get in to the profession with more courses and a decent bursary as suggested by TallPoppy, and more help with child care as the majority of women on my course are paying a lot for that.....

Well at least it is all being looked at seriously now thats something i suppose...

My opinion?

Cannot say what I really think as it involves foul language use!

Rubbish, what they NEED to do is give student midwives jobs after costing the NHS £45 000 a time to train! They should be offering better bursary rates to students, particularly the younger ones and ensuring their training is improved ( Mentorship in hospital trusts needs alot of work, IMO)

Pitiful, why throw money at people who left?

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I dont agree with this. I qualified in 2005 and couldnt get a job when I moved up to Northampton. This meant I lost my skills and confidence. I have always been totally committed to midwifery and will be snapping their hands off if I'm offered the chance to get back.

You really can't generalise that 'they obviously didn't have their full heart and soul in' when you have no idea of people's circumstances.

Nuff said - just my feeling on this

There may also be women who have had kids and not returned back to work..... or maybe for some their kids have now left home and want to return to work.

If there is a carrot, it could entice some very talented midwives back into the active profession....... lets just hope there becomes more positions available for them and others to fill.

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Rob (Co-founder & Technical Dogsbody)
StudentMidwife.NET
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That will only happen when the NHS decide that it might be nice to have more ground floor staff actually dong the work and caring for the women and babies than people analysing what we do and telling us what to do. And for bigger salaries than we get. Do I sound a little disillusioned?

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Love Dory xxx
Just keep swimmin', just keep swimmin'....

Have you just been offered a place? If so and you want a mentor please post in post this forum (also post here if you would like a mentee)

I guess that finding a balance between chiefs and indians would be an area worth looking into.

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Rob (Co-founder & Technical Dogsbody)
StudentMidwife.NET
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Did you know?

You can help support this website by buying your books, toys, Music, Video Games(wii, etc), Electronics and Christmas Goodies from us. All items are supplied by Amazon, so they're uber cheap and they pay us a few pennies for every item we sell.

You can even add your NUS Details to your amazon account and get a 5% discount when you shop with us. You can even get nectar points by adding nectar details to amazon.