Midwives: the truth about your working hours

Survey time: 2 minutes

Maternal deaths in the UK are at their highest in 20 years. Midwives are working without legally protected rest breaks, in units that are critically understaffed, and are too often blamed when an overstretched system fails.

Everything you share here is completely anonymous. Your name, employer, and personal details are never attached to your responses or shared publicly. That is our founding principle; we exist so workers can speak freely without fear.

This survey takes a couple of minutes. Your answers will be used to build the evidence base for a campaign calling for legal protections on midwives' working hours.

Start

Are you a currently practising midwife in the UK?

Yes
No
Student midwife
Agency or bank midwife

When did you last feel unable to provide safe care?

Today
This week
This month
This year
Never

Have you ever made or witnessed a clinical error you believe was related to staff fatigue?

Yes, I have made one
Yes, I have witnessed one
No, but I have had or witnessed a near miss
No
Prefer not to say

Have you ever worked a shift without a legally protected rest break?

Yes, most shifts
Yes, occasionally
No
Not sure

Are you currently signed up to a Working Time Regulations opt-out as a condition of your employment?

Yes
No
Not sure

Are you currently looking to leave NHS midwifery?

Yes
No, but I am considering it
No
Not sure

What single change would most improve safety for midwives and their patients?

Legally enforced limits on shift length
Legally enforced breaks during shifts
Legally enforced limits on hours worked out of 24h
More midwives hired to meet safe staffing levels
Better management training on safe staffing
Independent audit of Trust’s adherence to working time regulation including penalties for non-adherence

In your own words, what does it feel like to be a midwife in the NHS right now?

Your details

Name:

Email:

What’s your employment status?

Employed

Self-
employed

Other

Retired

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