It’s been a long, long time since I last blogged. Many reasons for this including two new jobs, one new Grand-daughter and work being absolutely manic. The two new jobs are both midwifery related, but non-clinical and I’m still a community midwife, so my hours have now doubled! The latest addition to our family was born in May, quite the most traumatic of all the grand-children’s births, but at least the outcome was a live Mum and baby. Have to look on the positive side. The work that has been manic? Community. There have been more and more changes to how we are able to provide care and the end result has been that 4 midwives, out of a team of 8, have left. 1 handed in her notice one day and went off sick the next, and has stayed off sick for the entire 3 months of her notice period. They are all younger midwives with years left before retirement, 2 have left the profession entirely, unable to face the prospect of continuing and being unable to provide the quality of care they would like to. Drastic action, and really leaving the women and their colleagues in the lurch, but these midwives were not only disillusioned but also incredibly stressed.
The family are all well. The Grandchildren are all growing-up and are all such individuals, even the twins. I still look after the twin boys and their sister after school 2 days a week, but now it’s for only one day a week during the school holidays. Lots of juggling commitments and using annual leave is involved but really worth it to be part of their growing-up.
I’m off now. One more day at work and then 5 days off. I’m so looking forward to it. No getting up at ungodly hours; no dreading the phone ringing in the middle of the night; no piles of paperwork and no realising every morning that there are not enough working hours in a day to complete all the work.
Have you heard of this? Please, please sign it.
Recruit 5000 more NHS Midwives, an e petition to HM Government.
So good to see you back!
Thank you. Now I just have to get back into the swing!
YAY! Welcome back!
I pop by periodically to see if anyone is home and was surprised and delighted this morning to find you here 🙂
X
Stepping back was necessary, for many reasons, but I look forward to once again moaning and groaning via my keyboard
Hello, the last time I looked your blog had become password protected and I couldn’t access it!
I hope that you are well despite the obvious stresses of family and work. Also that you managed some time in the garden in what has been a terrible year for growing vegetables but thankfully better for flowers.
I signed the e-petition when I saw an article about it recently.
I shall add you back onto my lawn loungers list, and look forward to future posts.
Take care. xx
Lovely to read a post from you and to find that all is well, bar the rather depressing work related stuff.
I have a sister-in-law who is also a midwife so hear similarly worrying news from her – and I am very concerned about the future for ante and post-natal care.
I’m off to sign that petition!
4 midwives left, what are the new rules that they have brought in.
The new changes involve more clinics, so less midwives. Then a new assessment which needs to be carried out at home. So in fact not reduced home visits but less midwives to cover them. More note auditing; covering the local maternity unit on an on-call basis to save ‘them’ having to employ sufficient midwives. Less staff at the weekends…………
Hallooo are you here….?????
I am!!! Thank you for the nudge