The number of NHS consultant midwives there are in each region of England is shown in the following table.
Headcount England 53 North East Strategic Health Authority area 3 North West Strategic Health Authority area 9 Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority area 4 West Midlands Strategic Health Authority area 1 East of England Strategic Health Authority area 2 London Strategic Health Authority area 23 South East Coast Strategic Health Authority area 5 South Central Strategic Health Authority area 5 South West Strategic Health Authority area 1 Note: Workforce statistics are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data. Processing methods and procedures are continually being updated to improve data quality. Where this happens any impact on figures already published will be assessed but unless this is significant at national level they will not be changed. Where there is impact only at detailed or local level this will be footnoted in relevant analyses. Source: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care.
The 2006 national health service workforce census showed that there were 24,469 midwives or 18,862 full-time equivalent.
The 2007 NHS workforce census showed that there were 25,093 midwives or 19,298 full-time equivalent.
The average national benchmark price for the tuition fee for a student midwife in 2007-08 was £7,968.
The average NHS Bursary paid to a student midwife in 2007-08 was £5,796. This includes the basic award, all supplementary allowances and one off payments.
Other costs include:
a reduced rate loan for living costs from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. Student midwives in receipt of a means tested NHS Bursary can apply for this reduced rate loan. Information is not held centrally on the cost of these loans for student midwives.
Access to Learning Funds which is the extra financial support provided by colleges and universities to students in financial hardship. Information is not held centrally on the cost of Access to Learning Funds for student midwives; and
Salary support funding for student midwives who are seconded onto midwifery courses. Information is not held centrally on the salary support costs for student midwives.
The number of student midwives in receipt of an NHS bursary in each year since 1996-97, the average bursary paid to a student midwife in each year and the total cost of all bursaries paid to student midwives in each year is shown in the following table.
Number of bursary holders1 Bursary—amount paid2 (£) Average bursary amount (£) Additions—amount paid3 (£) Total—amount paid (£) Average amount paid per bursary holder (£) 1996/97 n/a n/a — n/a n/a n/a 1997/98 102 305,914 2,999 0 305,914 2,999 1998/99 362 1,029,368 2,844 3,390 1,032,758 2,853 1999/2000 1,216 4,445,349 3,656 258,518 4,703,867 3,868 2000/01 1,980 8,065,410 4,073 349,906 8,415,316 4,250 2001/02 2,751 12,539,276 4,558 462,947 13,002,223 4,726 2002/03 3,166 14,808,831 4,677 588,848 15,397,679 4,863 2003/04 3,541 17,016,120 4,805 671,893 17,688,013 4,995 2004/05 3,735 19,903,977 5,329 728,896 20,632,873 5,524 2005/06 3,903 21,203,968 5,433 856,868 22,060,836 5,652 2006/07 3,812 20,943,604 5,494 841,390 21,784,994 5,715 2007/08 3,984 22,322,893 5,603 767,113 23,090,006 5,796 1 Includes nil award holders (European Union fees only students and students whose living allowance element of the bursary has been reduced to nil after income assessment). Phased uptake. Prior to 1997 local education authorities were primarily responsible for the administration of HE maintenance grants under Department for Education and Skills (mandatory awards) regulation to degree level students. From 1999 Student Bursaries became responsible for the payment of bursaries to new diploma level students, formally the responsibility of higher education institutions. 2 Includes the basic award and all supplementary allowances. Excludes one-off payments e.g. re-imbursement of practice placement costs. 3 Includes one-off payments e.g. disabled students allowance, reimbursement of practice placement costs etc. Source: NHS Business Services Authority Student Bursaries Unit
The information will be available in December 2008.