Student midwives banned from working as hospital staff during pandemic

On 14th January the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) relaunched their scheme to allow third year student nurses to begin clinical placements.

The placements are part of the emergency standards implemented to reduce the strain on NHS staff.

The standards were initially introduced in March 2020, allowing second and third year nursing and midwifery students to work during the pandemic and be counted as staff.

Changes to the guidelines now mean that all midwifery students, and second year nursing students must be removed from placement to allow their supervisors more freedom to work on the front line.

In 2019, the Office for National Statistics reported a national shortage of midwives, equivalent to a 2,500 staff decline.

This change to the NMC scheme means that hospitals are losing valuable staff members as students are being withdrawn from placements for at least two weeks.

Our reporter, Emily Weatherill spoke to a third year midwifery student, Molly Green, on the impact this may have on hospitals.

Final year nurses are still able to work.