A waste of resources

The job of midwife involves responsibility for two lives: that of mother and baby. The rewards are in the huge satisfaction in bringing new life safely into the world, rather than financial; therefore, it requires considerable commitment, as well as knowledge, skill and the personal qualities that impart confidence to women in labour. Nevertheless, students, whose average age is 27, undertake three years of training to qualify for this demanding job, with increasing numbers giving up salaries to live on a bursary of less than £6500 a year.